NICARAGUA
wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 145Mancarroncita – and all are without
roads, electricity and running water.
In the mid-1960s, rebel priest, poet
and guerrilla Ernesto Cardenal
founded a parish in Mancarrón.
Joined by Róger Pérez de la Rocha,
a young painter from Managua, the
pair set up a community of primitivist
artists among the archipelago’s
dirt-poor farmers and fishermen that
still flourishes, although the school
closed over 40 years ago. The altar in
Cardenal’s former church – from
where he preached both the gospel
and revolution – and the whitewashed
walls are decorated in simple,
colourful motifs celebrating nature.
The island’s artisans chip away at
balsa wood, creating turtles, toucans,
fish, all painted in bold colours. The
talented painters take their
inspiration from the islands,
producing Henri Rousseau-esque
landscapes that depict Solentiname
as a pastoral utopia; riots of blues
and greens scattered with wildlife.
From their humble home on La
Veneda, Rodolfo Arellano and his
wife Elba, have created an artistic
dynasty spanning three generations.
“Painting is in our blood – less
primitive, more intuitive,” Rodolfo
told me, as he showed me his
depiction of El Viejo del Monte, one of
Solentiname’s most enduring folktales.
It’s said that the old man of the forest
was once a merciless hunter who used
every creature that crossed his path as
target practice. As punishment, the
gods gave him backward-facing
simian-like feet and made him
protector of the archipelago’s wildlife
for all of eternity.
That afternoon, the lake matched
the leaden sky. The choppy water
made the panga – a traditional boat- buck like the meanest bronco and
only black cormorants braved the
sudden storm as they skimmed the
waves in strict formation.
But it ended as quickly as it had
begun and the clouds parted to reveal
aceruleanbluesky.Theboat
putteredpastluxuriantislands, some
barelymorethanclumpsoftrees. Ibis
stalkedthroughtheshallows,herons
enjoyedfishingexpeditions,while
whiteegretsperchedinbranches like
exoticfruit.Itwasthoughapainting
hadcometolife.
LaterIlolledinahammockand
pickedoutthesofttrillofa
guardabarranco–thecountry's
nationalbird–amidthevocal
oropendolasastheyflittedbetween
theirpendulouswovennests.
Firefliesbegantodancetothe tree
frogchorusandIreflectedhow, far
fromthecommotionofcitylife, these
islandidyllseachhavetheirown
uniqueculture,characterandcharms:
ahiddentreasuretroveofhistory.
Nicaragua’sunhurriedislandsand
theirinhabitants–atonceresilient and
resourceful,warmandwelcoming –
hadcaptivatedeveryonefrompirates
toartistsandeco-warriors.And now
Iwasequallyenchanted.No egrets
(clockwise from top left)
An exotic hibiscus;
Solentiname Islands; an
egret perched on a branch;
rocking chairs in Granada