My family consists of my parents and 11 siblings, my parents were always resilient and their teachings were to spread, to give of themselves, to build and to make known, to « Share what is ours ». The celebration of Midsummer’s Eve has preparations in advance. The family prepares for it, especially for that date a pig is fattened and the men are in charge of the pig’s meat and prepare the bonfire with good logs, the women prepare the dough for the awaited and exquisite yoco de San Juna (Saint John).

The yoco contains pork stew, pork rinds, ‘chicharrones’, ‘prieta’, ‘tragua’, slices of ‘arroyado’ prepared especially by my father, ‘milcao’, ‘sopaipillas’ and ‘roscas’. The yoco is accompanied by a cider punch, its ingredients are apple cider, egg yolk, sugar and beaten egg whites. Another preparation is the ‘navegado’, a hot drink made with red wine, orange, cinnamon and sugar. This exquisite yoco is to be shared with the family around the campfire, where stories are told and the whole family enjoys while the night flows and the dew blesses the traditions.

Some medicinal herbs are collected the day before, my mother and my sisters gather them with respect and delicacy to leave them in the dew of the night of San Juan ; they are blessed by the dew. When they are collected the next day, they are prepared as medicine and left in separate jars, and those who take them recover from their ailments. They are blessed medicines.

A glass of water is also left overnight to be blessed by the dew and drunk the next day. Clothes are left lying on the string to be impregnated with the night dew, these clothes are blessed.

There are other tests such as the potato test. There are three potatoes that are wrapped in newspaper one by one and left under the bed and at 12 o’clock at night they take one out ; each one has a meaning, the whole potato with skin is good fortune, the half peeled potato is more or less good fortune, and the whole peeled potato is bad fortune.

The ordeal of the blindfolded and handcuffed rooster : everyone gathers in a circle and each one has a little wheat in his hands and when the blindfolds are removed from the rooster, he goes to a person and whoever comes close to him is blessed with good fortune.

The test of the fig tree : is to go right at 12 o’clock at night under a fig tree, carry a guitar, play it and you will learn the best melody. The test of the burial or treasure : that night at 12 o’clock at midnight everyone watches to see if they see a strange animal to follow it and where it stops is the treasure or if they see fire in the pampa there is the treasure, you have to be brave, because you see strange things ; if you pass the test you get the treasure.

Finally, I can’t fail to share that on this date my father would wake us up very early at dawn to take us to the spring to observe nature, listen to it, breathe, drink and wash our hands and faces in the blessed waters for the night of San Juan, which would bless us throughout the year.

Today I don’t have a spring like my parents, but I do have a tree that sprouted by itself and grew at the entrance of my home. One day my mother came to visit me, saw it and told me to leave it there because it sprouted for a reason…. I took great meaning and remembered those moments of teachings, my roots and since then I receive the blessing of that tree called Arrayán, which reminds me and represents the tradition of the spring of blessed waters.

Today, together with my life partner, Rigoberto, and our sons Manuel and Yonathan, we appreciate nature and there is a wonderful connection that is difficult to explain, I only know that it is a harmony that nourishes us and gives us life.

The Myrtle Tree, whom I thank for sharing its fruits and from whom the dew that blesses us every day falls, makes it possible to contemplate and keep alive the tradition of our ancestors where spreading, giving of oneself, building and making known, « Sharing what is ours », can continue to sprout and recognise our roots in order to never forget them on this special date, « Night of Saint John ».

I simply share my family charism with you.

I am Alejandra Isabel, Family of Encarnación Chile « Commission for the Care of the Common Home ».

Ancud, June 2023