The Tranquilo Traveler
The Tranquilo Traveler is a celebration of voluntourism, slow travel, and other interesting ways to see the world. Travel writer and award- winning Moon Handbooks author Joshua Berman created The Tranquilo Travel as a resource for world trippers and international volunteers, a window to the author’s travels in Nicaragua, Belize, and beyond, and an update of his books and articles.
“Nicaragua is a place of wonders”: A Chat with Silvio Sirias, author of Meet Me Under the Ceiba
By Joshua | January 13th, 2010 | 
26 Comments » 
(LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MEET ME UNDER THE CEIBA.)
There is not much fiction in the suggested readings section of my book, Moon Nicaragua. It’s mostly history, memoir, and political analysis. That’s why Silvio Sirias’s books are such a breath of fresh air.
In his first novel, Bernardo and the Virgin (Northwestern University Press, 2007), Sirias takes the reader to the village of Cuapa, Chontales, in central Nicaragua. The book fictionalizes the story of a campesino to whom the Holy Virgin appeared in 1980 while providing a vivid slice of recent history through the eyes of everyday Nicas.
His latest book, Meet Me Under the Ceiba (Arte Publico Press, 2009, winner of the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize), is also a work of fiction. It takes place in the tiny twin villages of La Curva and Pio XII, in the hills south of the capital. Maybe I’m biased since I actually lived in Pio XII as a Peace Corps trainee in 1998 (as Sirias writes, “…very few people in Managua had even heard of this miserable little town”), and I can vouch for the book’s authenticity. Ceiba is based on a true crime that occurred in 1999, and on the intolerance of Nicaraguan culture to homosexuality. I wrote a short review of his book here, then had the opportunity to sit down with the author (he in Panama, where he teaches literature, and me in Colorado).
JB: I’ve been to the places you’ve written about in your books and I’m amazed by your simple-yet-accurate portrayal of these communities and the characters. Is part of your goal with these books to give readers a true Nicaraguan experience by showing them the thousand little details that makes it such a unique country? Or is the setting always secondary to your narrative?
SS: My top priority when writing a novel is develop a strong plot—the storyline has to hold a reader’s interest from the opening sentence through the concluding one. But I’m also convinced that a good tale must have interesting characters; and interesting characters require an interesting setting. So, as you can see, the setting is a key ingredient in my fictional mosaic. But I also want the reader to experience life in Nicaragua as vividly as possible. As you well know, Josh, Nicaragua is a place of wonders. Yet for me to take the reader there successfully story, character, setting, and cultural authenticity must each be dealt with meticulously, as well as lovingly.
JB: You seem to have the ideal cultural/linguistic background to be able to provide a cultural bridge between Nicaraguans and your readers. In this respect, I’m curious how you see yourself. Are you Nica-American? Are you Nicaraguan first? Does how you describe yourself depend on where you are at any given moment?
SS: Because of the unusual circumstances of my upbringing—born in Los Angeles to Nicaraguan parents but having spent my adolescent years in Nicaragua—I feel at home straddling the hyphen, the dash between my Nicaraguan and American identities. Yet, in all honesty, when I’m in need of a break from my cultural and linguistic schizophrenia, I seek refuge on my “American” side as I find English the language in which my brain likes to relax.
JB: Tell me about your decision to use the professor as the narrator of Ceiba. Why did you use his thoughts and interviews to tell the story, rather than a straight narrative of events?
SS: Truthfully, Joshua, this character arose as a novelistic self-defense mechanism, of sorts. I wanted to tell the story in Meet Me under the Ceiba in a non-linear fashion, but at the same time didn’t want the reader to get lost, not once. Achieving those goals posed quite a challenge. To do them successfully, I needed to be in total control of the narrative. The ideal vantage point to tell the story, then, would be the one from where I’d be able to see, and most clearly, every twist and turn of the plot. That obliged me to place the professor, an alter ego, in the driver’s seat. Through that character I was able to remain in command of the storytelling.
JB: Article 204 (the Nicaraguan anti-sodomy law) was repealed in March 2008. Do you have any insight into why/how that happened? Do you see this as a huge step forward for gay rights in Nicaragua/Latin America, or is it a tiny drop in the bucket of the battle that remains? Is it true that Panama is the only remaining Latin America country with an anti-sodomy law on the books?
SS: By the time the anti-sodomy law was repealed in Nicaragua, I was already living in Panama. Therefore, I am not privy as to what the factors were that made it possible. But I do know that Aura Rosa Pavón’s death did much to unite Nicaragua’s gay community, and that unity must have undoubtedly brought a lot a pressure to bear on the country’s legislature. Panama repealed the law that made homosexuality illegal four months later. Not surprisingly, when I conducted a little research into the origins of the ludicrous anti-sodomy law—which defines sodomy as “any sexual behavior a community finds scandalous”—I learned that it dated back to the time when the region today known as Central America was still a Spanish colony. What’s more, the organization responsible for the implementation of that law was the Inquisition. Although its repeal constitutes a victory, the long, protracted battle of educating the public remains ahead. There is centuries-worth of religion-imposed prejudices to contend with. So the struggle for gay rights in Central America is just beginning.
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WATCH THE MEET ME UNDER THE CEIBA BOOK TRAILER VIDEO
26 Responses to ““Nicaragua is a place of wonders”: A Chat with Silvio Sirias, author of Meet Me Under the Ceiba”
I’m a big fan of Sirias. I too spent some time in Pio XII during Peace Corps training. I then moved on to Chontales where “Bernardo and the Virgen” takes place. These books have brought back many memories.
I’m curious to the previous comments and Josh, since you are all so acutely familiar with the settings in Sirias’ books, what exactly makes it feel authentic? Is it the imagery used, the concrete examples of foods and customs, or the dialog nuances, or something else entirely or all of these put together.
Was there one scene that particularly sticks out in your mind that instantly took you back?
It’s all of those things, Nilki, from the sickly-sweet tasted of Rojita cherry soda, to the uniquely vibrant (re: vulgar) Nica language and gestures. One of my favorites:
“…she’d scandalize the faithful even further by giving them the guatuza — flipping them off Nicaraguan-style — with her thumb crammed deep into the gap between the index and middle finger.”
These details are like candy scattered throughout the narrative, especially to those of us who have given and received many guatuzas in our time — and endured so many unwanted Rojitas.
Josue, muchas gracias! I am excited to read both books!!! I called Pio XII hone for 3 of the hardest language months of my life in Peace Corps training as well! in 1999! And I can’t believe this is the first I’ve heard of this horrible murder. Like I said, my brain was otherwise occupied. Comalapa, Chontales was my Peace Corps site for two years, and I had a PC friend who lived in Cuapa. I went to visit this famous site of the Virgin with her. Silvio, thank you for writing about Nicaragua. The people are genuinely the friendliest people I’ve met. Too bad some are so entrenched in the “old rules” to see that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. We have some of the same issues in the US. Va pue.
PS> La ceiba es mi arbol favorito! 
Josh, that’s so funny-I wasn’t familiar with the term “guatuzas” but the minute you described it I pictured my mom and the many times she pulled one of those on people in the US who would just look at her perplexed-ay dios mio, god bless her, she’s mellowed, like a good wine, with age!!
I wanted to remind your readers that they can follow this Silvio’s Meet Me Under the Ceiba Latino Book Tour and see the previous discussions generated with the following schedule:
Monday 11th: Book Lover Carol http://bookluver-carol.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Jan 12th: Brown Girl Speaks http:/browngirl.weebly.com/book-speak.html
Wed Jan 13th: Regular Ruminations http://regularrumination.wordpress.com
Thursday Jan 14th: The Tranquilo Traveler http://blog.joshuaberman.net/
Friday Jan 15th: Pisti Totol www.pistitotol.wordpress.com
Monday 18th: Mama XXI www.mamaxxi.blogspot.com
Tuesday 19th: Farm Lane Books http://www.farmlanebooks.co.uk/
Wed 20th: Sandra’s Book Club http://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/
Thurs. 21st: Latino Books Examiner www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner
Friday 22nd: Una in a Million http://unainamillion.blogspot.com
thanks again for a fantastic post and Q&A!
Hi again..
Another place, another excitement!
Reading these comments, I am happy to know that my family has a plan to go to Nicaragua. Tastes of Nicaragua. I’m looking forward to it!
And I’m sure, Silvio’s novel will help me prepare myself better for this trip! Thanks!
I trained in Pio XXII, too! This looks awesome!
Jenny
Silvio, would you describe the geography of Nicaragua a little bit, in regards to the setting of Meet Me Under the Ceiba, what region is it in, and what are the different regions of Nicaragua? does the culture change markedly from region to region as well as the food?
Hi, Jenny (and Nilki):
Like Joshua has said, if you’ve been to Pio XII I think the setting of the story will strike a chord. When you read it, send me a note, I’d love to hear what you think.
Joshua, can you help us out?Silvio
Hi, Nilki (and thanks for that cool Google Earth shot, Joshua)
This is a question that I believe Joshua can answer far better than I. He has traveled through Nicaragua extensively, I am limited in that regard. Plus, Josh even appeared on Andrew Zimmern tv show sitting alongside his host as they ate bull-testicle soup, armadillo, and snake (but Josh refused to eat the bull-testicle ceviche).
Josh?
Silvio
Incidentally, on the Google Earth shot, Josh pinpointed the location of Pio XII with an A. La Curva would be to the right, on the same side of the highway, midway between A and Niquinohomo.
Both Pio XII and La Curva are too small to figure in Google Earth. Do notice the two crater lakes–Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes.
Silvio
Silvio
Actually, I did eat the raw balls (at Las Sopas de Juan restaurant in La Trinidad, Esteli). As Andrew said, they “tasted like mud and loose change in your pocket, which is what all organ meat tastes like.”
This is a great interview. I’m ready to start reading; I have my copy right here.
Thank you, Erica. I hope you enjoy MEET ME UNDER THE CEIBA. Drop me a note once you’ve finished, I’m eager to know what you think.
Silvio
I can not even imagine eating bull testicle soup!
Does not sound appetizing in the least bit!!
Hi, Melissa,
Actually, it depends on the cook, but bull testicle soup can be pretty tasty. It figures as part of a tongue-in-cheek joke in the final chapter of BERNARDO AND THE VIRGIN.
Thanks for commenting,
Silvio
It’s amazing how the discussion seems to incorporate new details on each stop of the blog tour. Thank you Joshua for highlighting the vibrancy of his narrative, a feature that is likely to be recognized as a Sirias trademark when his work becomes a subject of study at universities around the world.
While reading BERNARDO AND THE VIRGIN, I knew from the start that the book was a timeless gift, because it had accomplished (in my humble opinion) what very few books manage to. That is, it took a credible snapshot of Nicaragua at a very difficult time in our history and allowed a lot of us, 25+ years later, to relive vividly that part of our history.
And again, not to underrate human rights (or the lack thereof), I love the fact that the book can bring so much to a discussion from different perspectives; shift from has been tagged as the central storyline so far and still remain fascinating.
It sounds like MEET UNDER THE CEIBA will put our five senses to the test!
A question to the author, now that we’re concentrating on geographical/cultural/travel-related issues, how different did you find Chontaleños from Masayas? Are there striking differences in your characterization of Nicas in different spots of the country?
To wrap this comment up, although Sirias claims repeatedly that he feels more like a U.S. citizen (which would explain why he finds “refuge on [his] “American” side” whenever he needs to escape from the madness), the fact that he writes about NICARAGUA, and he does so with so much heart and appreciation of our culture, language, and customs, says to me more about his true nature.
The first time I ate it 12 years ago, my friend Darwin told me, “Josué, tenés que tomar la sopa de huevos de toro pa’ponerte ASI!”, his clenched fist atop a flexed forearm to further emphasize the soup’s alleged macho effects.
Wow! Just took a break from work and was so excited to find that gorgeous google map, honest to goodness, I’m ashamed I’ve never taken time to explore Nicaragua. It must be beautiful!
I’ve traveled quite a bit, but have decided to only travel to central and south america from now on until I’ve seen as much as possible.
In Colombia, there is a town that was flooded and sometimes in dry years, you can see the steeple,
Are there any mysteries or mythologies about those enormous lakes in Nica?
Hello, Sandra Mariela,
Thanks for joining us again on the tour. Your comments always touch me and give me plenty to think about.
I’m appreciative of what you mention regarding the book being a timeless gift. I am attempting to write novels that will withstand the wear and tear of the years. Miguel Unamuno, author of San Manuel Bueno, mártir, when asked why he worked so hard–in addition to being a writer, he was the rector of the Universidad de Salamanca–answered, “Because I want people to remember that I was here.” That has become one of my writing mantras: I hope my work will give me the tiniest grasp of immortality.
Also, thank you for pointing out–and you too, Joshua–that MEET ME UNDER THE CEIBA reaches beyond being a treatise about discrimination against homosexuals. It is a central theme, but what I’m really proud of is the quality of storytelling. It took a lot of effort to keep the story interesting while at the same time experimenting with time and point of view. And I am very happy with the structure of this novel. It will be a challenge to top it in my next work.
Regarding the difference between Chontaleños and Masayas–it is the typical difference urban dwellers and small town folks. To live in a city puts a lot of stress on how we use our time and on being more competitive. These pressures make our lives more complex. To live in a small community allows an individual greater freedom, and most use that freedom in leisurely pursuits–and as a result that can make us seem simple, carefree. If you ask me, although I now live in Panama’s biggest city, I prefer the leisurely aspects of rural life. And that’s the basic difference, I believe, between Chontaleños and Masayas: city vs. rural folk.
And then there is the comment about my “true nature.” I do feel much more at home–in spite of my thoughts being more relaxed in English–living in Central America. I love the culture, the experience of waking up everyday to stories that fascinate me. I miss Nicaragua, but it’s nice knowing that I’m only a short flight away.
Hugs,
Silvio
Hi, Nilki,
Yes, that Google Earth map Joshua put up is indeed striking. I could get lost looking at Nicaragua for days. And that part of the country–where the novel is set–is known as Los Pueblos Blancos, and it is indeed a beautiful, green region.
About the lakes, each one has its own myth. The Laguna de Apoyo (spelled wrong on the map), smells slightly of sulfur. As a result, you can easily who people say appears there. And the other crater lake, Laguna de Masaya, supposedly has a Loch Ness monster type being that people still reportedly see on occasion.
And I am sure there are tons more beliefs out there waiting for someone to compile them.
Hope you’re day at work was productive,
Silvio
Josh-
Great interview. I actually met you when you spoke to the PC group about your first edition of Moon Nicaragua, sometime between 02-04. I was placed in Orinoco, on the Caribbean side, and had wanted more attention on the Garifuna culture that exists there. Anyway, glad to come across this new book!
Incredible interview, Joshua. I always love knowing about the creative process of other writers.
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Thanks for this interview Josh. I too am a former PCV who trained in Pio XII. I am looking forward to checking this, and other Sirias novels out.