One of my heroines, my grandma.
On June 3rd of 2013, I returned to Venezuela for the first time in 11 years.
Venezuela was such an experience full of self realizations in so many ways. Seeing my family as if for the first time was sort of strange, they only knew the boy who had left so long ago, never fully realizing the growth which had transformed the boy into a man they really didn't know much of. Going back to their old ways felt like a leap backwards in time. Great insights and good realizations of the origin of my roots.
Although this was a strange and interesting experience for me, on one hand, reconnecting with old friends like I was never gone, it felt great and very natural to be around to interact with them. Having lived and grown in different ways, we easily still connected with each other beyond past and future. On the other end of the spectrum, I re encountered old acquaintances, helping me further realize how much I have moved on, and after 11 years, others still have the same life, pretty much unchanged. Conformed. And perhaps that might be great for some, but for me it represents a lack of desire and self motivation to explore new possibilities or to expand in knowledge for the sake of self growth.
I had a bit of nostalgia while going back to my old neighborhood, retracing my old steps as I literately went out and about walking the same streets I used to walk as a teenager. After my time in Colombia, participating in the ADAPT course, my Parkour senses and motivation to move were at an all time high. As I'd observed the place which once held space for many of my childhood mischievous moments and play times, my Parkour vision took over and my body responded, moving about in ways that as a child I never fully appreciated, re-enacting some of my playful climbs and jumps around my neighborhood with another mindset of repetition, control and fluidity.
This last story leads to my connections with the Parkour community in Venezuela. After being gone for so long and learning Parkour for the last 6 years, it was so great to bring some of that practice and knowledge to my birth place. I had the honor of leading a seminar for a group of guys and girls from Maracay and the Miranda region. I also visited Barquisimeto, to meet my cousin and also train with the Parkour community there. These were such great experiences and I was received with so much warmth and the humor characteristic of the Venezuelan younger crowd. It brought back so much that seemed forgotten.
Post seminar group shoot.
Having trained with Parkour Generations, being part of the team and a level II instructor, I felt like I carried with me some responsibility. What, at the beginning were simple intentions to move and train with them, ended up in having the pleasure to hold a seminar where I shared concepts and methods of training which they received open arms and very excited to put to into practice. We had great conversations. It was awesome to be able to come back to my roots and bring positivity and inspiration to this passionate and talented young crowd. I truly hope to see them again.
Gracias chamos!
My brother and his family.
Seeing and staying with my brother and his family was very satisfying, witnessing the result of him having followed his passion for drawing. As children he and I would spend hours with pen and paper, copying the traces of our favorite artist while discovering our own styles. My passion for movement overtook that of drawing, while his grew and evolved into his own many different styles which he now makes a living off. It made me so proud, and reinforced my belief; follow your passion and the rest will fall in to place.
Spending time with him brought many memories which had seemed forgotten. Our past, our origins. It brought many lessons and further understanding of how I grew into the person I am today. I'm very thankful for that time. Needless to say meeting my nephew, who was born the same day I left Venezuela, was such a gift, what a kid, innocent heart with a pure spirit. My nephew Josue, my brother Edixon and his lovely wife Yenny made my stay in Maracay a very lovely memory I cherish within my heart.
And then there was Kukenan. One of my intentions while in Venezuela was to connect with and explore the beauty and magic of the land. Venezuela is a beautiful country, it's incredible diversity is full of spectacular natural wonders and breathtaking scenery. One of them being Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall all in the world at almost 1000ft high.
Another one of Venezuelan's wonders is Roraima. Sitting among many tepuys, locals see Roraima as the house of god. With its geology practically unchanged since the times of Pangea, these tepuis are an ancient relic of the earth like no other and considered a secret and magical place with connections to the spirit world.
Immediately next to it lies Kukenan, known by the locals to be a place of darkness and mystery. Closed to the public and rated a dangerous climb. There is a story of a kid that disappeared in the swamps of the tepuy, his body never to be found. It's said that after local shamans connected with the tepuy, they claimed the kid to have been taken by the spirits of the place. There is also a story of a battle that took place at the top and when the locals were faced with choosing between surrendering their freedom or jumping of the cliff, they all decided to jump. Some say kukenan translates to suicide. You will find other translations online such as, "if you climb me you die".
Waterfall from witchin the rock wall
So naturally, I decided to visit Kukenan for my birthday. The fact that it's closed to the public was my first challenge, fortunately I met just the right guide. :) and had the right incentive... Extra cash!
On the 17th of July, just a few days before my birthday. I arrived in a local village in La Gran Savana, where the tepuys watch over the land. I had to find people to form a group, otherwise the cost would be ridiculous on my own. After waiting and scouting for people for a couple of days, my birthday arrived. On waking up, I decided that morning I would start heading to the entrance of the trail with or without a group. After a refreshing bath in the river and on my walk back to my backyard kitchen shack "camp", a group of European tourists approached me looking for a guide. I said I knew one and that I was looking for a group. So we all joined in... Synchronicity?
Long trek ahead.
Long story short the trek took 6 days. 3 days up, 1 exploration day at the summit, 2 days down. Walking on lush green hills, cooling creeks and waterfalls. Hiking through dense tropical forest, hopping and climbing over rocks in steep terrain next to hundreds of feet of fall. Crawling under overhangs and along cliff edges and finally climbing 3 ropes to get to the flat top. We were welcomed with the mist of the clouds, hundreds upon hundreds of creeks and small ponds, the vegetation and alien like rock formations unique to the place.
Its awe and beauty inspiring. It didn't take too long until I found myself indulging in the terrain, climbing, hopping and frolicking about the place. As the afternoon arrived on our exploration day, the mist of cloud fell upon the tepuy, covering the terrain in a dense wall of fog as the rain fell on the ground. Away from camp and on my own, I found myself in a cloud of white, disoriented and with no idea which way was anywhere.
Properly clothed for the chill rainy evening, flash light and flute on hand I let my steps follow wherever they wanted to go, hoping not to run into the numerous cracks on the ground hundreds of feet deep. I would stop periodically to just feel, observe my thoughts or to simply be in that moment. A moment where seemingly nothing else existed beyond a meter radius of space. It was dark and foggy, I could barely see a meter in front of me. The stories of the boy came to mind. My fascination for the spirit world kept me on the edge, I surrendered to whatever was there for me to experience. I was almost ready to "go". With loved ones and my "mission" in life in mind, I felt I anchored myself to this physical reality. 3 hours later, calm and in extreme meditative state, I managed to see the lights as I ran into the guys who were searching for me.
There were many lessons within this experience. Many of them of great growth and self realization for me. It's one thing to get lost in a place where you have many paths to choose from, unknown of where each will lead you. And another to get lost in a place where you can't see your way at all. Where you simply have to discover each second one at the time.
Its not where you're going that matters, its where you're at in the exact moment that's to be paid attention to. You're never lost as long as you know where you're at.
To share some of the magic of this place, I made this video you can watch on YouTube.
Enjoy
