In indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian highlands, a pampa mesa or pamba mesa is a communal meal of food laid directly on a cloth spread on the ground. [2] [3] The meal is seen as an act of social solidarity; it also has mythological connotations.
The name "pampa mesa" comes from the Kichwa pampa, meaning "ground" [4] or "plain", [5] and Spanish mesa, meaning "table". [6]
The origins of the pampa mesa tradition are unknown. [7] Pampa mesas often are used at festivals, at family celebrations, or after mingas (gatherings for communal work). [2] [7] [8]
For a pampa mesa, a long, typically white cloth is spread on the ground. [7] [9] Traditionally, participants in a pampa mesa bring the food they are able to share, and each spreads the food he or she brought along the cloth for all to eat. [2] [7] [9] [10] Once the food is spread along the cloth, participants sit along the cloth and use their hands to eat, rather than using utensils and dishes. [2] [7] [8] Before eating, a community leader may give thanks for the food, and a portion of the food may be buried as an offering to the earth mother. [8]
The food on a pampa mesa tends to be largely staple items such as mote, potatoes, quinoa, oca, carrots, and fava beans. [2] [7] [10] [11] Sometimes, cuy (guinea pig) and other meats are present. [7] Flowers and fruits may be used to decorate the pampa mesa. [8] The spicy condiment ají frequently is served alongside the pampa mesa. [12] The fermented beverage chicha de jora sometimes accompanies a pampa mesa. [8]
Pampa mesas are a form of social solidarity: all contribute as they are able, and partake as they wish. [2] [8] [10] [11] Some believe that sitting on the earth and eating from a pampa mesa is a form of connection with Pachamama (earth mother), a goddess in Inca mythology who continues to be an object of reverence in Ecuador. [2] [8] [12] A pampa mesa also may be seen as an act of thanksgiving for the harvest. [12]
A similar tradition in Peru and Bolivia is called apthapi. [13]
- ^ Drake, Angie. "Celebrating Carnival in Ecuador". Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Marín, Jaime (June 26, 2017). "La pampamesa, antiguo ritual con significado espiritual" [The pampamesa, ancient ritual with spiritual significance]. Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ "Tradición ancestral con la pampamesa" [Ancestral tradition with the pampamesa]. Diario El Norte (in Spanish). March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ Sandoval, Angel Herbas (1998). Diccionario quichua a castellano (in Quechua and Spanish). Tunturi Qañiywa. p. 313.
- ^ Markham, Sir Clements Robert (1972). Contributions Towards a Grammar and Dictionary of Quichua: The Language of the Incas of Peru. Biblio Verlag. p. 210. ISBN 9783764804916.
-
^ Carvajal, Carol Styles; Horwood, Jane; Rollin, Nicholas (2004).
Concise Oxford Spanish Dictionary: Spanish-English/English-Spanish (in Spanish). Oxford University Press. pp.
424.
ISBN
9780198609773.
mesa table spanish dictionary.
- ^ a b c d e f g Glosario del Patrimonio Inmaterial del Azuay [Glossary of Immaterial Patrimony of Azuay] (in Spanish). Cuenca, Ecuador: Instituto Nacional del Patrimonio Inmaterial. 2010. p. 202. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g Márquez, Cristina (May 6, 2015). "La pambamesa es el refrigerio de moda en Riobamba" [The pambamesa is the trendy catered meal in Riobamba]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "La Pampa Mesa sobre un mantel azul (primera parte)" [The Pampa Mesa on a blue tablecloth (first part)]. La Tarde (in Spanish). September 27, 2016. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c "La pamba mesa, un verdadero ritual" [The pamba mesa, a true ritual]. La Hora (in Spanish). January 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "La pamba mesa: Tradición para compartir en comunidad" [The pamba mesa: Tradition to share in community]. La Hora (in Spanish). September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Alimentos que se comparten en la Pampa mesa" [Foods that are shared in the Pampa mesa]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). June 23, 2016. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ Matute García, Segundo Patricio; Parra Contreras, Adriana Cristina; Parra Parra, Jorge Leonidas (December 2018). "Alimentos ancestrales que sanan" [Ancestral foods that heal]. Revista de la Facultad de Ciéncias Medicas de la Universidad de Cuenca (in Spanish). 36 (3): 52–58. ISSN 2661-6777. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
In indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian highlands, a pampa mesa or pamba mesa is a communal meal of food laid directly on a cloth spread on the ground. [2] [3] The meal is seen as an act of social solidarity; it also has mythological connotations.
The name "pampa mesa" comes from the Kichwa pampa, meaning "ground" [4] or "plain", [5] and Spanish mesa, meaning "table". [6]
The origins of the pampa mesa tradition are unknown. [7] Pampa mesas often are used at festivals, at family celebrations, or after mingas (gatherings for communal work). [2] [7] [8]
For a pampa mesa, a long, typically white cloth is spread on the ground. [7] [9] Traditionally, participants in a pampa mesa bring the food they are able to share, and each spreads the food he or she brought along the cloth for all to eat. [2] [7] [9] [10] Once the food is spread along the cloth, participants sit along the cloth and use their hands to eat, rather than using utensils and dishes. [2] [7] [8] Before eating, a community leader may give thanks for the food, and a portion of the food may be buried as an offering to the earth mother. [8]
The food on a pampa mesa tends to be largely staple items such as mote, potatoes, quinoa, oca, carrots, and fava beans. [2] [7] [10] [11] Sometimes, cuy (guinea pig) and other meats are present. [7] Flowers and fruits may be used to decorate the pampa mesa. [8] The spicy condiment ají frequently is served alongside the pampa mesa. [12] The fermented beverage chicha de jora sometimes accompanies a pampa mesa. [8]
Pampa mesas are a form of social solidarity: all contribute as they are able, and partake as they wish. [2] [8] [10] [11] Some believe that sitting on the earth and eating from a pampa mesa is a form of connection with Pachamama (earth mother), a goddess in Inca mythology who continues to be an object of reverence in Ecuador. [2] [8] [12] A pampa mesa also may be seen as an act of thanksgiving for the harvest. [12]
A similar tradition in Peru and Bolivia is called apthapi. [13]
- ^ Drake, Angie. "Celebrating Carnival in Ecuador". Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Marín, Jaime (June 26, 2017). "La pampamesa, antiguo ritual con significado espiritual" [The pampamesa, ancient ritual with spiritual significance]. Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ "Tradición ancestral con la pampamesa" [Ancestral tradition with the pampamesa]. Diario El Norte (in Spanish). March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ Sandoval, Angel Herbas (1998). Diccionario quichua a castellano (in Quechua and Spanish). Tunturi Qañiywa. p. 313.
- ^ Markham, Sir Clements Robert (1972). Contributions Towards a Grammar and Dictionary of Quichua: The Language of the Incas of Peru. Biblio Verlag. p. 210. ISBN 9783764804916.
-
^ Carvajal, Carol Styles; Horwood, Jane; Rollin, Nicholas (2004).
Concise Oxford Spanish Dictionary: Spanish-English/English-Spanish (in Spanish). Oxford University Press. pp.
424.
ISBN
9780198609773.
mesa table spanish dictionary.
- ^ a b c d e f g Glosario del Patrimonio Inmaterial del Azuay [Glossary of Immaterial Patrimony of Azuay] (in Spanish). Cuenca, Ecuador: Instituto Nacional del Patrimonio Inmaterial. 2010. p. 202. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g Márquez, Cristina (May 6, 2015). "La pambamesa es el refrigerio de moda en Riobamba" [The pambamesa is the trendy catered meal in Riobamba]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "La Pampa Mesa sobre un mantel azul (primera parte)" [The Pampa Mesa on a blue tablecloth (first part)]. La Tarde (in Spanish). September 27, 2016. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c "La pamba mesa, un verdadero ritual" [The pamba mesa, a true ritual]. La Hora (in Spanish). January 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "La pamba mesa: Tradición para compartir en comunidad" [The pamba mesa: Tradition to share in community]. La Hora (in Spanish). September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Alimentos que se comparten en la Pampa mesa" [Foods that are shared in the Pampa mesa]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). June 23, 2016. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ Matute García, Segundo Patricio; Parra Contreras, Adriana Cristina; Parra Parra, Jorge Leonidas (December 2018). "Alimentos ancestrales que sanan" [Ancestral foods that heal]. Revista de la Facultad de Ciéncias Medicas de la Universidad de Cuenca (in Spanish). 36 (3): 52–58. ISSN 2661-6777. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.