Story Description:
Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her
large family in a small earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indigenas, it is not
uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a
longa tonta – stupid Indian – by members of the ruling class or mestizos, or
Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old
Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has
no idea what the future holds.
In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author
Laura Resau has collaborated with Maria Virginia Farinango to recount one girls’
unforgettable journey to self-discovery.
Virginia’s story will speak to anyone who has ever struggled to find his
or her place in the world. It will make
you laugh and cry, and ultimately, it will fill you with hope.
My Review:
Seven-year-old, Virginia lives in a small indigenous village in
Ecuador with her mother and father; older sister, Matilde, twelve-years-old; Hermalinda,
her younger sister; and Manuelito, her younger brother.
Virginia is sent away to work as a servant for the people who own
her father’s land. The wife, the “Doctorita”,
a dentist and her teacher husband, Nino Carlos have two boys: Jaimito and
Andrecito. Doctorita is a harsh and
cruel woman often pummelling Virginia with beatings, slaps and punches and
degrading her by calling her names.
Virginia finds her new home is in one large room, with a giant
wooden wardrobe dividing the living room for the bedroom, but Virginia is
forced to sleep on a rug on the floor and she is given one box to put her
clothing in.
This isn’t the first time Virginia’s mother has given her
away. A couple of years prior, she gave
her to an indigenous woman named Marta.
Marta wanted a little traveling companion when she sold her wares, so
her mother offered Virginia to her.
Virginia had her own bed in that house, it was big, beautiful and fluffy
and she was allowed to watch television something which she hadn’t seen before
and she pealed with laughter at the antics of the cartoon characters. But, it didn’t last, her mother returned the
following morning to take her back home.
Virginia was disappointed, not only did she have television, a beautiful
soft bed, but wonderful tasty food to eat instead of her mother’s every morning
potato soup.
Virginia had already realized that the Doctorita and her husband
wouldn’t be treating her as well as Marta had so convinced herself that her
mother would show up and retrieve her from this new horrid place. She wasn’t even allowed to eat off their
dishes and was instead given a gray metal plate, cup, and a dented spoon.
Maria Virginia is told how to do the dishes correctly, right down
to the precise numbers of soap drops she is to
use; how to make the beds and how many times to fold the sheet
back. She is told NOT to ever sit on
their bed, not touch the television or stereo except to clean them. She is not to sit on the red chairs or the
sofa, she may not open the drawers in the dressers, she is not to let the
Doctorita’s son, Jaimito touch anything dirty, she must change his diapers
immediately the moment they are wet and she continues laying out rule after
rule after rule. Virginia is sure her
own Mamita will arrive to get her just like the last time – but Mamita does not
come.
Virginia is washing diapers with a washboard but the poop stains
won’t all come out of the material no matter how hard she scrubs so she hangs
them on the line to dry anyway. The
Doctorita comes out screaming at Virginia and begins hitting her in the head
her fists just pound her little head.
Pain sears through her but the woman continues to punch and slap until
Virginia’s head is a ball of aching, screaming fire. The Doctorita tells her to wash the diapers
again and if they’re not clean then she will be forced to: “scrub them with
your teeth and eat the caca right off of them!”
This is the true story of a 7-year-old indigenous “child” who was
forced into slavery in Ecuador. Maria
Virginia’s story although heartbreaking, is made utterly compelling in the
capable hands of Laura Resau. Virginia,
from such a young age was forced to find her own way, educate herself, and
learn the ways of the world on her own.
Through sheer determination and true grit she emerges into a
well-educated woman with many accomplishments under her belt. For a child of seven to have the strength and
courage that Maria Virginia did to enable herself to suffer through years of
torment and abuse is a testament to her ability to love herself and to want a
better life for herself.
The story was extremely well-written and I was hooked from the
first page and believe a great deal of adults and teenagers will get a lot out
of this story. Very well done!
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