Crossing the Andes, Ep. 04 - Eternal Life

Description
Reviews
Citation
Cataloging

In Ecuador, Stef Biemans visits the valley of eternal life and investigates its finite nature. What do spry centenarians in Ecuador right below the equator do in order to stay healthy? What provisions are there for them should they fall ill? And how do South Americans deal with their elderly?

The Vilcabamba valley in Ecuador is known for its healthy old people. The fit old man who interrupts his work in the field to firmly shake Stef Biemans’ hand shows an official proof of identity with a 1913 birthdate. A little bit later, he lets his hips do the talking when he dances.

Other old people in the valley also dance, in groups. Which doesn’t mean they’re all happy as can be. An 89-year-old woman says she’d like for it to be over. But: ‘God is keeping me alive. I’m waiting for my time to come.’ A voluntary ending to this earthly life is so unthinkable, Biemans is afraid to even broach the subject. Man proposes, God disposes. Or, for many South Americans: God and his native helpers.

Series Description

The Andes – in all their diversity – are the spine of South America. We traverse six countries, focusing on work, economy, health, and migration, to find out how South America is doing and which changes are taking place in the continent some call an investors paradise, while others say is still a mess…

MARC Record See Worldcat record

Keywords

andes,travel,central america,central american life,geography,location,place,country,location,physical place,terrain,spatial awareness,territory,map,place,space,maps,cartography,countries,cities,mountains,territories,states,nations,borders,boundaries,topology,topography,communications,journalism,news,information,media,new media,newspaper,newspaper,blogs,news site,news app,pulling string,gathering string,reporting,fourth estate,news media,journalists,journalist,reporters,reporter,sociology,anthropology,psychology,sociological,sociological perspectives,conflict theory,human conflicts,sociological thinking,conflict perspective,topics in sociology,sociology topics,sociology studies,social studies,people and cultures,human relations,human relationships,cultural studies,culture studies ,south america,south american countries,countries in south america,argentina,bolivia,brazil,chile,colombia,ecuador,guyana,paraguay,peru,suriname,uruguay,venezuela,south american politics,south american culture,south american cuisine,south american education,south america in media,south american languages,south america history,health,healthy,physical health,mental health,emotional health,health equity,public health,health care,health policy,fitness,veracity,welfare,soundness,aging,age,old age,senior,youth,middle age,aging gracefully,advanced age,collective health,maturity,family,kin,fellowship,household,immediate family,extended family,multigenerational family,multigenerational household,kinfolk,family tree,genealogy,nuclear family,modern family,family tree,latin american studies,caribbean american studies,island studies,latin american culture,latin american history,latin american politics, caribbean american culture,caribbean american history,caribbean american politics, latin american languages,latin american and caribbean studies,hispanic american studies,hispanic people,hispanic culture,hispanic politics; "Eternal Life"; Pragda Films