It is early in the morning as Vidal gets himself ready. But before Vidal can brace himself for his dangerous way to school he must take care of his family`s sustenance – like every morning he checks the fishing nets. After work it`s time for a Uro bread and he drinks a Mate tea. Both things, like almost everything else here are made form the totora reeds. The Uros are a people that are very rooting in their tradition. They have even managed to preserve the Pukina, their mother language dating back to the colonial time.
After two hours of paddling, Vidal reaches the center of the village. He floats past houses, where a family is building their new island since the old one has began to rot. It is the normal rhythm here. Every three years a new ground under the feet and a new roof above the head needs to be made. The construction begins by cutting the roots of the totora reeds in 30 cm long blocks. Five hundred of these are then tied together with ropes and soaked in the water for three months until they melt into one large block. On top of this block, the family piles totora reeds up to two meters high, until a part of the block sinks in the water and starts to rot. The gases released from this biomass under water produce a buoyant force that causes the new island to swim.
After three hours of paddling, Vidal has finally reached the Uro elementary school where he learns to read and write. Here besides his native language, he also learns Spanish. It is not the language of his parents, but at the same time it is his chance of a future outside of his village.
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