Don Alberto is his name – another of the prominent of Estelí. A man far beyond his time; he lives in the forest beyond the city in a village called Jalacate.  Alberto, as his art indicates, is warm, simple and a genuine man.  For someone who doesn’t have much in terms of earthly possessions he sent us on our way with a smile, two pineapples, and a view in to the beauty of tedium, discipline, and dedication.

We left Hostel Tomabú this morning seeking to discover the role that art plays in the preservation of local customs and traditions, but what Don Alberto showed us is that art is much more than customs and traditions; it is the soul of the people; it is the spirit that is pervasive throughout those who define locality.  It is the magic of, again, those wise enough to capture and then manifest the beauty of what moves inside them – for Don Alberto, the rocks he shapes speaks to that.

For some, the mountains, the contentment of green canopies, and the cool of elevation was far too short lived, but leaving meant we had more culture to explore; our next stop was the Casa de Cultura. At La Casa we worked on local motif greeting cards of dyed and dried corn husks, and danced the dance of Nicaraguan suave – an impressive display of steps and rhythm.

To end we passed on the roll of El Leader Del Dia (ELDD) for the first time to a Glimpser. From here on out the ELDD will be posting on the daily blog, so be sure to check back in tomorrow!

Thank you for reading!