By Yassira Huarcaya
This session comes to an end, and with it, Tinkuy Week.
Tinkuy Week came to remind us that there are always reasons to celebrate. Celebrating Tinkuy’s existence every year, its growth, its changes, and the people who make it what it is, is a way of recognizing all the work we do as a community: the Guides, Inés, the Pumas, and the Mapaches.
This week has been full of games and fun moments, but also moments of reflection; moments to remember the Hero’s Journey and why we are here in the first place.
I want to pause and take the time to acknowledge what I have seen in the Pumas over these past few days. And what better way to do it than to do it “the Tinkuy way.”
I, Yass, saw…
… the older Pumas taking the lead by looking for all the Pumas from their houses and making sure they stayed together where they were supposed to be. I call that RESPONSIBILITY.
… for the first time, some Pumas’ smiles. I call that FUN.
… Pumas looking into each other’s eyes and understanding their strategies. I call that COMPLICITY.
… the older Pumas patiently and calmly accompanying the younger ones, explaining the games to them and making sure they understood. I call that PATIENCE.
… the older Pumas making sure the younger ones were part of their teams, encouraging them to participate and never leaving them behind. I call that COMMITMENT.
… the older Pumas understanding the fear, nervousness, and frustration of the younger ones, offering them words of calm and affection. I call that EMPATHY.
… the Pumas laughing, cheering, shouting, and getting excited. I call that JOY.
… the Pumas helping each other when things didn’t go as planned. I call that SOLIDARITY.
… the Pumas leaning on their teammates and daring to participate, even when they weren’t sure what to do. I call that TRUST.
… the Pumas celebrating each other’s achievements as if they were their own. I call that GENEROSITY.
… the older Pumas remembering that they were once the younger too. I call that LEADERSHIP.
… the Pumas listening to each other’s ideas and finding ways to move forward together. I call that COLLABORATION.
And I, Yass, saw the Pumas discovering that the journey is not about being the first, winning every game, or never being afraid. It is about discovering who we are when we walk alongside others. I call that COMMUNITY.
Because that is what I saw this week. Not just Pumas playing. I saw Pumas growing, supporting one another, leading, caring, laughing, and discovering that together, they can go much further. And that, to me, is Tinkuy.
