Legend has it that once there lived a little boy named Kuba who was born into a community of strangers. Kuba’s home was located on the bank of a mighty river. The river, which was named Kuba River, was so great and so powerful that superstitious townsfolk named their first child after it. This was the origin of Kuba’s name as well. Kuba’s parents, ironically, weren’t superstitious. However, they knew of the value certain locals placed on customs, so they forgot about their own traditions and named their son Kuba.
One fateful day following thirty-days of continuous rainfall, the river burst upon the town washing away everything. Those unprepared drowned and were carried down river, including Kuba’s entire family. When the floodwaters finally subsided, the townfolk immediately began to rebuild what had been destroyed by the ruthless water. Most that fled returned, including the town magistrate. The townsfolk were shocked to discover that every person named Kuba had died in the flood, apart from the boy. So, deciding that it must be a curse, the magistrate ordered the last Kuba in town to be sacrificed to the river.
Soon, townsfolk started talking and rumors spread widely about the miracle of Kuba’s survival. Some said that they witnessed Kuba’s body being lifted above the floodwaters by a cloud of orange lightning. Yet, others reported seeing Kuba turn into a fish with large orange gills, swimming away to safety. Before long, some started accusing Kuba of carrying out evil acts around town even before the flood. It was shocking to hear the vile stories the people spread regarding the poor boy. Unsurprisingly, no one took him in. Even his friends avoided him. The adults in town shooed Kuba away when he begged for food. And soon, poor Kuba became an outcast.
Out of desperation, Kuba started fishing in the river. On one such trip, while standing knee-deep in the water, he began to hear peaceful whispers which reminded him of the times before the flood. Looking down at the water, Kuba reflected on how life is constantly moving and changing just like a river. Sometimes, it can be calm, peaceful, and serene, only to change drastically into a ruthless and destructive force within days. Kuba lifted his feet from the riverbed and opened up his arms, allowing the current to lay him down and carry him away. He floated down the river like a log adrift. When he finally reached the ocean, the whispering voices became more instructive. The voices told Kuba to travel the world, collecting river water and to eventually mix them to create something new, a process that will ultimately lead him home.
Nowadays, when people see Kuba, with all his bottles of river water, travelling from town to town, from nation to nation, from continent to continent, they call him the “River Mixer”. They gather around him eagerly to hear of his adventures across the world. Interesting enough, the River Mixer supports his travels by selling custom river water mixes, which some claim to give their wearers supernatural powers!
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Andrés Ruzo, the founder of the Boiling River Project, has been awarded the 2024 Lowell Thomas Award, one of the highest honors in travel and exploration. This prestigious prize, named after the legendary travel journalist, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field.
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