South America 1967

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In the summer of 1967, Steve Blair and I, both 19 years of age and in the middle of our college studies, undertook an “International Youth Project” trip to South America that turned out to be extraordinary and immensely educational. Click to read my report, and replys from Hand of the Cause Jalál Kházeh, Hand of the Cause Zikrullah Khadem, and the Universal House of Justice as conveyed through the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. Also see my article for World Order magazine.

Bolivia June-July 1967

View of the Hazira, La Paz
View from the Hazira, La Paz
Steve Blair with friends at the Hazira, La Paz
Ignacio in the Hazira garden, La Paz
Street in La Paz
Street in La Paz
Leaving La Paz. The train trip to Cochabamba via Oruro, 200 miles as the crow flies, took 16 hours.
Leaving La Paz
Leaving La Paz
Plaza in Cochabamba
Plaza in Cochabamba
The Bahá’í cook Maria at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
View of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, from across the road
Auxiliary Board Member Athos Costas teaching a class at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba (from a dupl.)
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, Athos and Angélica Costas right rear (from a dupl.)
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, Athos and Angélica Costas right rear and their children Husayn and Tahirih in front right, instructor Sabino Ortega front left, cook Maria front right. Participants were Felix Maita, Teburcio Condori, Angel Gareca, Walter Yucra, José Yucra, Mario Chambi, Primitiva Mendoza, Francisco Callisaya, Mario Quispe, Macedonio Mamani, Hilarión Mendoza, Roberto Ticona, Eugenio Ticona, Rogelio Cerrogrande, Mariano Mamani, Tajaro Limachi, and Juan Vielca.
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, Athos and Angélica Costas right rear and their children Husayn and Tahirih in front right, instructor Sabino Ortega front left
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, Steve Blair and Athos Costas left rear, Greg Dahl right, Maria the cook far right
Participants in a 10-day course at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, with Steve Blair, left, and Greg Dahl, right rear
View of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, from the road
View of the road from in front of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
View of the road from in front of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
View of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, from the road
View of the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba, from the road
Pioneer Ellen Sims, an instructor at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Sabino Ortega and pioneer Ellen Sims, instructors at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
Steve Blair at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
A rose at the National Bahá’í Institute, Cochabamba
A church in Cochabamba
A market in Cochabamba
A market in Cochabamba
A market in Cochabamba
View from the train to Oruro
In the apartment of pioneer Dr. Owladi in Oruro
In the apartment of pioneer Dr. Owladi in Oruro
Travelling in an open truck from Oruro to Sacaca
Travelling in an open truck from Oruro to Sacaca
Walking the 12 miles from Sacaca to the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, up and down thousands of feet, with Andrés Jachakollo
Walking the 12 miles from Sacaca to the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, up and down thousands of feet, with Andrés Jachakollo
Walking the 12 miles from Sacaca to the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, up and down thousands of feet, with Andrés Jachakollo
Walking the 12 miles from Sacaca to the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, up and down thousands of feet, with Andrés Jachakollo
Walking the 12 miles from Sacaca to the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, up and down thousands of feet, with Andrés Jachakollo
Andrés Jachakollo resting enroute from Sacaca to Jankarachi
Andrés Jachakollo resting enroute from Sacaca to Jankarachi
Steve Blair and Andrés Jachakollo resting enroute from Sacaca to Jankarachi
A home in the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi
Francisco, the school teacher, and friends waiting in front of the Bahá’í school in Jankarachi, which was built by the villagers
Francisco and his pupils in front of the Bahá’í school in Jankarachi
Villagers in front of the school in Jankarachi, Andrés Jachakollo center (taking off his hat), Francisco off to the left
Villagers in front of the school in Jankarachi, Andrés Jachakollo center (taking off his hat), Francisco off to the left
Members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi, in front of the school
Villagers in front of the school in Jankarachi, Greg Dahl and Steve Blair center rear
View of the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi
In the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi
In the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi
In the Bahá’í village of Jankarachi
Enroute to Totorojo
Enroute to Totorojo
Enroute to Totorojo
Enroute to Totorojo
Greg Dahl, enroute to Totorojo
Enroute to Totorojo
The village of Totorojo, near Sacaca, where a Bahá’í meeting was held
The village of Totorojo, where a Bahá’í meeting was held, drying potatoes in the foreground
Bahá’í meeting in the village of Totorojo with Germán from Sacaca, Steve Blair’s briefcase in the foreground
The village of Totorojo, where a Bahá’í meeting was held, drying potatoes in the foreground
The village of Totorojo, Andrés Jachakollo left
The village of Totorojo, Andrés Jachakollo left
Bahá’í meeting in the village of Totorojo, Andrés Jachakollo center
Bahá’í meeting in the village of Totorojo, Andrés Jachakollo center, Greg Dahl right rear
Bahá’í meeting in the village of Totorojo, Andrés Jachakollo left
The village of Totorojo
View of the town of Sacaca, where we spent the night
Traffic on the road to the village of Jankohuyo, about an 8 mile walk
The village of Jankohuyo, where most of the people are Bahá’ís. The building on the right in the enclosure is the Bahá’í school where Mario Chambi, one of the participants at the Cochabama Institute, was the teacher. Had a Bahá’í meeting with about 40 attending.
Enroute back to Sacaca, where a meeting was held in the evening by the light of a lantern
Morning in the central plaza of Sacaca, where open trucks are loading for the dangerous trip over the unpaved mountain roads to Oruro
Back to the apartment of pioneer Dr. Owladi in Oruro, waiting for transportation to Potosí. Dr. Owladi was away on a teaching trip.
On the bus from Oruro to Potosí
On the bus from Oruro to Potosí
Market in Potosí
Market in Potosí
Bahá’í s gathered in Potosí, National Spiritual Assembly Chairman Estanislao Alvarez and Steve Blair, rear left
A street in Potosí
The village of Iscoporgata, 95 kilometers from Potosí
The village of Iscoporgata
Our hosts in the village of Iscoporgata, waiting for us to finish our meal of boiled potatoes
Bahá’ís in the village of Iscoporgata, and our two young guides (on either side)
Enroute to the village of Huarcu
The path to the village of Huarcu, with llamas grazing
Enroute to the village of Huarcu
Llamas grazing near the village of Huarcu
The moon over a dried lake near the village of Huarcu
Bahá’ís gathered in the village of Huarcu, with our two guides kneeling on either side
Bahá’ís gathered in the village of Huarcu, with our two guides kneeling on either side (from a dupl.)
Bahá’ís gathered in the village of Huarcu, with our two guides kneeling on either side (from a dupl.)
Llamas grazing near the village of Huarcu
A home in the village of Huarcu. There are no chimneys and the smoke from fires inside darkens the interiors.
Sheep in the village of Huarcu as we prepared to leave
Enroute back to Iscoporgata
Llamas along the trail back to Iscoporgata
Enroute back to Iscoporgata
Enroute back to Iscoporgata
Back to the village of Iscoporgata for a meeting
Bahá’ís waiting for us in the village of Iscoporgata
Leaving Iscoporgata
View from the bus from Potosí to Tarija, a twelve hour journey (150 miles as the crow flies)
View from the bus from Potosí to Tarija, a twelve hour journey (150 miles as the crow flies)
View from the bus from Potosí to Tarija, a twelve hour journey (150 miles as the crow flies)
At the Bahá’í Center, Tarija
Pioneer Rezsi Sunshine at the Bahá’í Center, Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Tarija
Tarija, pioneer Rezsi Sunshine in front row (blue dress), Steve Blair rear center
Tarija Bahá’í Center, pioneer Rezsi Sunshine (second from right)
Tarija
Near Tarija
Near Cochabamba
Enroute by bus from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz
Enroute by bus from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Near Santa Cruz
Street scene in Santa Cruz
Near Santa Cruz
My host, Miguel Diez, distributing sodas from his truck in the countryside near Santa Cruz
near Santa Cruz
near Santa Cruz
near Santa Cruz
near Santa Cruz
near Santa Cruz
Leaving Santa Cruz
Enroute Santa Cruz to Cochabamba
Enroute Oruro to La Paz
Approaching La Paz
Approaching La Paz
La Paz
Enroute from La Paz to Cuzco
Inca ruins enroute from La Paz to Cuzco
Inca ruins enroute from La Paz to Cuzco

Peru August 1967

Cuzco
Cuzco
Pioneers Fernando and Pepita Alvarez in the Baha’i Institute, Pucyura, near Cuzco
The Baha’i Institute in Pucyura, near Cuzco
Scenery in Pucyura
Scenery in Pucyura
Alpaca grazing, enroute Cuzco to Arequipa

I passed through Peru briefly on my way to Venezuela.

Panama August 1967

ABM Ruth Pringle (right) with the Chairwoman of the Local Spiritual Assembly

My flights from Lima to Caracas took me by way of Panama.

Venezuela August 1967

Peter McLaren in the Hazira, Caracas
Peter McLaren in front of the Hazira, Caracas, with the Bahá’í Scout parked to the right
View of Caracas (probably from the Woodards’ apartment)
Ciudad Bolívar and the bridge over the Orinoco river
In the Cariña Indian area
In the Cariña Indian area
In the Cariña Indian area
Orinoco River, in the Cariña area
Device for squeezing poisonous juice from the yucca root, in the Cariña Indian area, Camurica, upriver from Ciudad Bolívar
Cariña Indians preparing yucca meal and making sandals in Camurica
Frying yucca, Camurica
Frying yucca, Camurica
Frying yucca, Camurica
Putting the fried yucca out to dry, Camurica
Cariña Indian Bahá’ís and participants in a 4-day Bahá’í course, Camurica, with Peter McLaren far right. Peter had last been there 28 months before with Amoz and Kenny Gibson.
School house (?) in Camurica
Camurica
Near Camurica
Near Camurica
Camurica
Graduates of the 4-day course in Camurica holding their course materials “What the Bahá’í Faith Teaches”, with Greg Dahl rear right. Graduates were Gabriel, Miguel, Victor and Nissa Aray (hosts from Camurica), Margarito Chirosco, Aladisio Requena, José German Solaño (La Montañita), Ignacio Rivas, Marcos Ramos (Mayagua), Julian Camora (La Mata), and José Ramon Sifontes (Los Escobales).

In Venezuela, Peter McLaren took me with him to conduct a course in the Cariña Indian area in the eastern part of the country.

Colombia September 1967

Bahá’í Institute in El Prieto, on the Guajira, Colombia. l-r: José Eduardo Semprún, Weldon Woodard, José Martín Semprún (with Greatest Name), new Bahá’ís Adelsa and Cecilia (from Los Mochos) in orange. The sign reads: “This house not political party. We are all brothers.”
Homes on the Guajira, Colombia
Morning in Los Mochos, La Guajira, with the Bahá’í Institute near the center
Riohacha, with Greg Dahl rear center
Boy milking a cow at a milk farm, Riohacha
A milk farm, Riohacha
Entrance to the Bahá’í School, Riohacha
The Bahá’í School, Riohacha
Course participant sleeping on the porch of the Bahá’í School, Riohacha
Course participant sleeping on the porch of the Bahá’í School, Riohacha
Course participants in a week-long course at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha
Course participants at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha, with resident teacher Hamilton Breton, right
Course participants at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha, with resident teacher Hamilton Breton, right
Course participants at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha, with resident teacher Hamilton Breton, right
Course participants at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha, with teachers Leonor Porras, Hamilton Breton and Peter McLaren
Participants in a week-long course at the Bahá’í School, Riohacha. Teachers were Hamilton Breton, Leonor Porras and Greg Dahl (all center rear). Participants were Adelse Barroso, Rosita Fernández, Ortencio Hernández (Mochomana), Adoulfo Fernández, Brinolfo Fernández (Wichepe), Antonio Gonzalez (Laguna de Pajaro), José Eduardo Semprún, Elvia Fernandez (El Prieto), Elvia Paz, Dora Machado (La Punta), Vicente Iguaran (Maracaibo y Los Moches), Manuel Lufo Vanegas, Vicia Dioselina Villar (cook) (Riohacha).
Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha

After eastern Venezuela, I travelled west with Peter McLaren and Weldon Woodard to the Guajira area across the border in Colombia, where Peter had devoted a lot of effort to developing Bahá’í communities.