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January 7, 2010

Obituary: Salome Gutierrez

Salome Gutierrez, a long-time instructor in Pitt’s Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center, died Dec. 12, 2009, of complications following a Nov. 19 auto accident. She was 63.obit - Gutierrez

A native of Antabamba, Peru, Gutierrez became a United States citizen in 1973. She joined the Pitt faculty in 1978 as an instructor in Quechua and, in 1992, after earning an Aymara language teaching certificate from the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano in Peru, also began teaching Aymara in the Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center, part of the Department of Linguistics. Quechua and Aymara are indigenous South American languages.

Since 2000, Gutierrez had served as a faculty member for the outreach program at the Center for Latin American Studies and since 2002 had been the faculty adviser for Pitt’s Quechua Club.

She earned a certificate in women’s studies in 1995 and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 1996, both at Pitt.

In 2008, she became fundraising chair for the proposed Latin American and Caribbean Nationality Room.

Outside the University, Gutierrez, who also was fluent in Spanish, became a founding member in 1986 of the Latin American Cultural Union, where she was honored for serving in several leadership capacities.

She also was honored with the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Board of Education Award in 1983 and the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education Multicultural Education Program Award for volunteer service in teaching Hispanic culture in 1993.

Last summer she received a certificate from the mayor of Antabamba as recognition of distinguished social and academic work, for promoting educational development on a national level and for being an illustrious daughter of the province of Antabamba.

For many years, Gutierrez served as an officer of Quipunet, a worldwide volunteer organization of Peruvians linked on the Internet.

Friends and colleagues remembered Gutierrez for her enthusiastic pride in Andean culture and her love of teaching.

“I can describe Salome as a hardworking colleague who brought a lot of joy and humor to the people around her,” said Swahili language instructor Leonora Anyango Kivuva, who shared an office with Gutierrez for 10 years. “She rejoiced in the work and achievements of her students, and they were all lovingly her children. Quechua and Aymara students have lost a dedicated teacher, a guardian and a parent. She was always busy writing them letters of recommendation, going to conferences to improve her teaching and/or writing or developing material to use in her classroom.”

Former student and friend Sarah Henrich said, “Salome carried her love for her native Peruvian culture wherever she went and enjoyed sharing her fascinating stories about Andean traditions. She was one of the rare professors who made friendship a part of her relationships with students. Salome changed my life — I decided to study abroad in Peru because of her and I attribute multiple academic successes to her guidance. She was a dear friend to me, and an incredibly fun and passionate professor of Quechua. Because of her heavy involvement in the Pittsburgh and international communities, Salome had friends around the globe. Everywhere I went, if I mentioned Salome’s name, someone was sure to know her.”

“Salome will be deeply missed by all in the Department of Linguistics at Pitt,” said department chair Alan Juffs. “Her bright, friendly and compassionate contributions were appreciated by all.”

Juffs added that Gutierrez’s cooking always was a big hit at the department’s pot luck dinners.

In addition to cooking, friends said Gutierrez enjoyed singing and dancing. She performed in the Less-Commonly-Taught Languages World Dance Showcase during Pitt’s International Week, and regularly had a table at the International Week fair selling Peruvian food, arts and crafts and promoting the Quechua Club and her language classes.

Gutierrez also participated in the Latin American and Caribbean Festival as an international fellowship committee member for the Center for Latin American Studies.

Gutierrez is survived by her daughter Sabrina Gutierrez de Matteo and son-in-law Mark Matteo; her siblings Raul Carhuaslla, Valois Carhuaslla, Juan Carhuaslla and Cirila de Gutierrez (in Peru) and Gualberto Carhuaslla and his wife Lisa, Isandra de Colan and her husband Hugo and Margarita Carhuaslla (in the United States), as well as nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

A  memorial scholarship fund is in the planning stages. For information, contact Rob Mucklo, rom17@pitt.edu.

—Peter Hart

Filed under: Feature,Volume 42 Issue 9

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