The Tero flew west. This Tero, Uruguay’s National bird, felt that the borders of his tiny country were squishing his dreams. So he flew west, aimlessly, or rather towards new horizons. He took along some things from home, the kind of things that reminded him of his roots. So he chose fruits and seeds from the “Ceibo”. Everybody but Teros knows neither birds nor seeds can easily cross borders. But who can restrain a free bird? Off he went, then, with his heavy luggage...

felt that the borders of his tiny country were squishing his dreams

During his journey he met other Teros, Teros from other places: as it turned out, there are Teros in many other places, not only in Uruguay, or so the Tero learnt. He exchanged his seeds with these new friends and therefore his luggage became more diverse, and also lighter. He understood that an exchange like that was the heart of the journey: meeting other Teros, other flowers, other seeds...

Finally, he got to a faraway land, on the other side of some huge mountains. There he found out that Teros can also be called other names. He realized that Teros and Queltehues are all lapwings, the same birds but from different places. Different roots, but the same kind altogether. And he also exchanged seeds with them, and they gave him seeds from their flower, the “Copihue” (Chilean bellflower).

All the seeds got mixed up in his bag. Just like him among the other birds. By the time he planted them, a new kind of flower was born. It was a kind of flower that did not exist until then. A hybrid species born from that particular mix of seeds. Mestizo flowers. Flowers from nowhere. Flowers from everywhere.

That was when the Tero understood that his journey had paid off. Not only did he exchange seeds, but also filled his soul with experiences.

• Tero: Southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis lampronotus)
• Ceibo: Uruguay’s National flower, from the cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
• Copihue: Chilean bellflower, Chile’s National flower (Lapageria rosea)