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El Velerio

 
Feb 3rd 
Upon returning from La Esquiguita Nick rushed out of his house to inform me that Mama Chomba’s father had passed away.  I went inside and found my Mama Chomba sitting at the kitchen table crying.  She told me that he was 98 yrs. old, and she was very sad that she didn’t have to opportunity to see him once more before he passed away.  She also told me that now she feels like she is alone in the world.  This is a strange concept to me because she has 12 family members within a 30ft. radius, which is much closer than any of my family members are to one another.  It would have been hard to find the words in English to console someone I’ve only know for a couple weeks, it was even more difficult in my mediocre Spanish. But I think I was able to help a little bit, by the end of dinner I was able to get her to laugh.

The next day was the velerio (wake) for her father.  I traveled with all of Mama Chomba’s family members that live in Los Mortales to her father’s hometown of Caipira.  Mama Chomba’s father had 71 children with 9 different women, so when we arrived the house was already packed with family.  We went around and gave our condolences to all of the family members, and then went to look at the body.  That was the first time I had ever seen a body in a casket.  It was kind of a surreal experience, he looked more like a wax doll then a human.  Afterwards we sat outside for a couple of hours drinking coffee talking to family members.  Mama Chomba said that it was customary to have family stay at the house for the next 9 days. 

Mama Chomba was very happy that I came to the velerio and I’m really glad I did too.  It made me feel good that the family appreciated my presence, and to see them come together to pay their respects and share stories from his life.
Location: Capira, Panama

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