In the dark of night the drum produces a hoarse, distant sound, usually accompanied by the melancholic sound of a small flute. It announces the beginning and the end of the procession of doomed souls and demons who travel south through small Andean towns to the highlands of Ecuador. Two ghosts dressed in red play the drum as a coffin and packs of howling dogs follow.
Sounds of the drum can be heard from far away, warning those who wander the night to beware and return to their homes as quickly as possible. If they fail to heed the warning, they could be taken by the souls of those who have risen from their graves. Some people even say that the devil himself plays the hoarse drum...
Let this be a warning to all those sponsors who wish to visit their sponsored children in Ecuador. Enjoy your time with your child in the daylight, but when darkness falls and the faint sound of drumming can be heard in the distance, make haste back to your hotel room and lock the door behind you. The hoarse drum is calling, and the doomed souls have come out to play.
Have a safe and happy Halloween from all of us at Children International!
The picture (courtesy of Nicolás Herrera at nicolasherrera.com) depicts the funeral procession of the hoarse drum.
3 comments:
Well, I guess I have to cancel my trick or treating plane trip that I had scheduled for Ecuador!
I would like to find out more of the family's incomes as well as those who aren't getting enough help or other tools to survive in these areas and also be supportive toward the children
Hi Chad,
Our website www.children.org can help answer many of your questions or you can contact our Sponsor Services department at 1-800-888-3089 (816-942-2000 outside the US) or email us at children@children.org.
Thanks for your question and thanks for checking out our blog!
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