By Gabriel Brogan

Andes Manta, a band of four brothers specializing in traditional Ecuadorian folk music, recently hosted a workshop and concert here at McCaskey. The workshop was organized by McCaskey Spanish teacher Sñra. Savidge, who coordinated the event with local nonprofit, the Latin American Alliance, or LAA.

While Savidge has worked with Andes Manta before, the workshop was the first to be held on campus. “We held the workshop last year at F&M, but this is the first time we were able to hold it here…we were very fortunate, most of their expenses were covered by a grant from the LAA,” says Savidge. 

During the workshop, held in McCaskey East’s B123 lecture hall, students learned to make traditional bamboo paya, or pan flutes. The workshop was led by Andes Manta brothers Jorge, Luis, Bolivar, and Wilson, as well as LAA president Jaime Savala. After students had finished making their paya from bamboo tubes and colorful twine, they had a chance to win LAA stickers as Savala quizzed the group on Latin American trivia. 

That night, the band showcased 40+ handmade instruments in a free concert at JP’s auditorium of traditional Ecuadorian music, which blends indigenous rainforest style with Spanish influence. The show ran from 7:00-8:30 and included goatskin drums, six-foot-long flutes, pan pipes larger than tables, and an array of guitars adorned with armadillo shells and intricate wood etchings. Andes Manta also came with eight talented dancers and several changes of costume. One dance near the end of the show involved performers dancing together for over five minutes with bottles balanced on their heads the entire time. 

While the concert included impressive theatrics, talented musicians, and an all-around memorable performance, only a few dozen people showed up. The low attendance was likely a result of McCaskey’s Powder Puff football game, which was the same night and saw a full stadium of fans. “I would like to see a bigger turnout for the concert in the future,” says Savidge. “We had originally scheduled a different date, but then they had a conflict. They only had two dates available, and it was either the night of the Powder Puff game or the Homecoming game…realistically if we wanted them to come this fall that was the only date available.”

Despite the low turnout, Sñra. Savidge still considers the affair “a very positive experience.” This year’s concert and workshop weren’t the only positive experiences Savidge has had with the LAA, her connection with Jaime Savala and the LAA is over a decade old. “I’ve been very involved with volunteering with LAA for a number of years, through their education programs. They really do a nice job, and they’ve handed out SO much money…they’re a local organization, and their members are from all different backgrounds.”

At McCaskey, Savidge’s most well-known work with the LAA has been giving students the opportunity to participate in their regional writing contests. “For the last 12 years, I’ve had students participating in their annual Spanish writing contests. Students have either submitted poems or short stories, and we’ve had winners every year…it’s a really nice opportunity.”