Asuncion, IP Agency.- The National Secretariat of Tourism (Senatur) reported that, prioritizing ancestral culture, indigenous youth have been included as permanent officials of the institution. To this end, for the first time, the Paraguayan State has structured a call for indigenous peoples in each Jesuit Mission in the country.
César Benítez Cabral, 24, who is known in his community of Guavirami as Kuarahy Miri (Radiant Sun), has been working as an informant guide in the Trinidad reduction for 5 years. He is the only member of his community and among his 8 siblings who works in this position.
“It is a great opportunity for me, thanks to the Paraguayan government, because thanks to this I have been able to study. My goal is to support my community of Guavirami, located 12 kilometers from the Jesuit Mission of Trinidad. For me, it is very important to transmit what our ancestors did in this place,” he said.
His job as an informative guide involves receiving many tourists every day. He is in charge of accompanying the tourists who, first of all, watch audiovisual material about what the Jesuit Missions offer before beginning the tour.
During the tour, Cesar explains to the tourists about the culture of that time and today. “I enjoy knowing that my ancestors were here and having a connection with them. I am happy and proud of my community, of this place and of all of Paraguay,” he continued.
She also said that “thanks to Minister Angie Duarte, today we have a store to sell and promote our crafts, to transmit the tradition and culture of my community.”
César sees this opportunity as something very big, especially in a context in which it is difficult for many young people. Now, thanks to Senatur, he is studying Psychology at the Catholic University in the city of Encarnación. His goal is to help his community through study and dialogue, promoting the well-being and advancement of its people.
“I am grateful to tourism for allowing me to train and study, which has allowed me to help more people in my community. I left my community to train myself in the history of this place because I had a dream and now I can work here. Before, I didn’t have this opportunity, but now I have a secure salary, access to services and opportunities that are priceless,” concluded our interviewee.
In addition to being a guide, Césas is a member of a choir that has allowed him to transmit the culture of his community, even though some communities prefer not to show their culture. He invites everyone to visit this beautiful place, which is a World Heritage Site, and assures them that he will be there to guide them.
Additional data
- Guaraní Jesuit Mission of the Most Holy Trinity of Paraná: Founded in 1706 and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, it is one of the most important constructions of the 30 Jesuit Villages in the region, where Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil were settled. In 1728, it had a population of 3,000 Guaraní Indians.
- This year: More than 21,584 tourists were received in the three Jesuit missions, with a notable number of visitors from Latin America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, among others.
- Daytime opening hours (all week) from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Evening opening hours (Wednesday to Sunday) at 7:00 p.m.
- Telephone: +595 985 772 803
- Entry fee: Foreigners 40,000 Gs. and nationals 25,000 Gs.
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2024-08-13 21:04:29
