Today’s Enlightening Entertainment will be presented in Spanish, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, (Mongolian,) Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Greetings, splendid viewers. Welcome to the continuation of our presentation about Lake Titicaca and its beautiful unique culture. Lake Titicaca, 3,800 meters above sea level, is the world’s highest navigable lake. It is between the Andes mountain ranges and shared by Bolivia and Peru. We are visiting the part of this special lake in the area of Puno, in southern Peru.

I´d like you to come and visit and learn what the thousand-year-old Peru has, and Lake Titicaca with all its charms and traditions.

There are many beautiful islands in Lake Titicaca that are home to both villagers and wildlife. Let’s visit some of them one by one.

Ticonata Island, is another place which visitors can reach, having also it´s own attractions, characterized by its houses shaped in a cylindrical form with straw roofs, or ichu, giving to the buildings an especially ecological style, inspiring a pleasant walk along the shore of Lake Titicaca and stay at its lodging houses.

They talk about community, but this is a whole, it is not separated. Here, each one takes care of tourists; we support them.

Capachica Peninsula has got beautiful beaches of white sand; Chifron Beach, Collpa Beach in Llachon; Cotos Beach in the populated area of Cotos; Paramis Beach in the rural community of Siale, are beautiful beaches of clean sand, where one can go in the morning to sunbathe. Or one can stay in Capachica Peninsula where people are so kind anyway, easy to get on with, with their own local traditions. They are used to receiving people in their houses, letting them learn about their living culture, their patron saints’ celebrations, their costumes.

Nature has given us beautiful places which, only by visiting them, make us become a part of them, such as the island called Amantani that warmly welcomes us – with melodies from the area, joy that characterizes the inhabitants of this legendary place on the Peruvian high plateau.

Amantani Island is a beautiful island with two very nice and strong apus (peaks) which preserve the cultural identity of this beautiful island named amantan: the Pachatata Apu and Pachamama Apu, where some ceremonies are held on January 20 for the good of crops, in favor of the welfare of Andean society, for contemporary society, for it to be kept in harmony, in order that farm produce grow.

It’s an island where its history of costumes is lovely, with embroidery, beautiful fabrics; where the people are hard working, where women weave fabrics and blankets, ponchos and chuspas (bags), llijllas, and men make chullos (caps), do farming. There you can´t find cattle, but rather farming is done with two men or two women to plough the land. It is an island where you can spend the night, there are accommodations, where people eat natural foods, the kañihua (millet), quinoa, and barley, for example.

Let me explain a little. There is the traditional dish, pata caldo, or wheat soup, where you can eat wheat with a little potato starch, a few natural potatoes, which is very tasty, with no other components like red meat, but only natural food that is consumed on the island of Amantani.

What we want is to show you our life in Taquile and make you feel at home. Welcome, everyone!

Taquile Island is located 45 km from the city of Puno. Its highest point is at 4,050 meters above sea level. The inhabitants are called Taquileños and speak Quechua. Taquile is the second largest island. Thanks to the thermoregulatory effect of the lake, there is a microclimate favorable for agriculture. The residents’ clothes remind us of the pre-Columbian times, both in design and symbolism.

The women wear a red blouse and many polleras (skirts), similar to those multicolored skirts, covered with another large black pollera. The men wear black trousers with a white shirt, covered with a short vest. The chullos (caps) that they wear on the head differentiate single men from married men. Taquile's story goes back to a pre-Inca period. Indeed, there are burial towers at the top of the hill, built with carved stone. The island has a radio station, station that runs on solar power.

On Taquile Island, residents do not have any security system in their homes thanks to the high degree of confidence that they have in their neighbors and visitors. This shows the practice of integrity and honesty among them. There are no guard dogs to be found.

First, we live a way of life of community on the island. We share and work together in the community, and all the benefits that we get from outside we share in the community.

In order to run smoothly, the community is well organized. Taquile Island is divided into four sectors.

The highest authority is the mayor of the town of Taquile, then the deputy mayor, the Hilacatas, the Llapucampus – the presidents of the sectors and the president of each organization.

When we return, we’ll find out more about the spiritual and moral practices on Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to Enlightening Entertainment and our program about the Andean way of life on the legendary Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is a sacred place. Let’s learn more about the spirituality specific to Taquile Island on the lake.

Spirituality on the island is shared. Firstly it is devoted to Taita Inti, which is Father Sun. Then we have our spirituality, we make tributes to Mother Earth, because we live off her.

In addition to Taita Indi, Father Sun, there are: Mama Killa, Mother Moon, the Sisters Chascas, who are the stars, and Mama Cocha, meaning Mother Lake. Residents have enormous faith in Mama Cocha, because without her, they cannot travel on Lake Titicaca. What are some of the spiritual places on Taquile Island?

For example, on Taquile Island, there is Inca Tiana (Inca´s Rest), the apus, then in the main square, during festivities, a ceremony is performed; and on Amantani Island, for example, the biggest apus are Pachatata and Pachamama.

On the mountain apus, or peaks, Lake Titicaca natives pay tribute to the Earth so that the land and harvests will be good. When are the tributes made?

Spirituality is very pervasive. Since ancient times our ancestors have always believed in Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). So, for example, on June 21 it is Pacha Cuty, the Andean New Year, when the Sun and the Earth come almost together. Then, one of the tributes is made, the most important one, on July 21. Then, they are sporadic, on September 21 with the first digging of the land, in order that there be enough crop production, and some ceremonies are performed.

When the gods of nature answer the prayers favorably, villagers rejoice gratefully in the abundance of organic vegetables and roots. These foods form the foundation of the people’s ecologically peaceful lifestyle.

The diet on the island is completely natural. There, they eat potatoes they produce, broad beans, oca, olluco (Andean tuber), isaño (tuber), natural products. Then, they produce small products like caya, which is made with dehydrated oca, the chullo dehydrated potato. But it is natural food because you have to eat well to live well.

In the Andean world, there are three important legacies: Ama Sua, Ama Quella, Ama Llulla. Don´t be a thief, don´t be lazy, don´t be a liar. That is very important to us on the island and that is why houses aren´t locked, because we have mutual confidence. For example, I’ll explain a little. If we arrive from town on the island at noon, we can go up with packs and sometimes with products, then we leave the packs on the side of the street.

Then the next person coming, if he sees that the sun is on it, on a particular garment, we move it into the shade, there is always that confidence among us, the respect for oneself above all, no? and we keep on practicing it. The Ama Sua, Ama Quella and Ama Llulla has been extended with the Ama Lluncu, that means: translated to Spanish means don’t be a thief, don’t lie, don’t be lazy and don´t be self-indulgent, don´t seek your own profit, but seek the community’s benefit.

Just as these places, on the shore of our natural host, there are beautiful beaches with their own charms, to hear the song of the water coupled with the breeze, south of Puno. On the Chuchito Peninsula lies Karina, with their arches carved by erosion giving it a unique charm, built by the inspiration of our nature.

A group of tourists from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have been enjoying their sojourn with the welcoming people of Lake Titicaca.

People here are so nice, they welcome us so well, they present a lot, they did so much. This is an experience that I would never ever forget.

At present, the inhabitants of the lake have changed their fishing activities for experiential ecological tourism, in great numbers, showing us the natural ways of life.

Lake Titicaca, Lake Titicaca of silver spring. Navigable lake highest in the world, deep blue lake. Titicaca, you are a natural wonder of the world, beautiful flora and fauna you have in your crystal clear and fresh water. You link brothers from Peru and Bolivia where their cultures have golden stories. You host in your waters very beautiful daughters with their descendants from the empire of the Sun.

O sacred lake of Titicaca, you are a wonder of the world. Beautiful Andean heritage, O Titicaca, natural beauty! O sacred lake of Titicaca, you are a wonder of the world. Beautiful Andean heritage, O Titicaca, natural beauty! Titicaca! Origin of the Inca Empire, the largest culture in America.

Your surrounding villages embellish you. Magnificent natural landscape. O Lake Titicaca, you are a natural wonder. Pride of Puno and Peru, O sacred Titicaca, O Lake Titicaca, you are a natural wonder. Pride of Puno and Peru, O sacred Titicaca Titicaca!

We appreciate the wonders of Lake Titicaca and the beauty of her residents’ lifestyles of harmony and wholesomeness. May the colorful way of life for everyone here continue in peace.

Joyful viewers, it was a pleasure having you with us today. Up next on Supreme Master Television is Words of Wisdom, after Noteworthy News. May goodness and simplicity be in your every moment.

Travel to northern India to two holiest places. Sarnath – the deer park where Lord Buddha preached the first sutra.

And Haridwar, host of the Hindu Kumbh Mela once every 12 years.

With all due prostrations to the Supreme Master Ching Hai. Here you are standing right at the top of the Har Ki Pauri, the main venue of the Kumbh Mela bath.

Join us as Supreme Master Ching Hai shares her experience of this pilgrimage tradition.

One time, I went into a very big camping place. That was in Haridwar. Haridwar means “the Gate of Heaven.”

On The World Around Us, Sunday, July 4, on Supreme Master Television.