The topping-out ceremony of the OSF Technical Building was held in Chile, and attended by about 100 ALMA project members and 150 local people concerned. From Japan, Ryusuke Ogasawara (NAOJ representative in Chile), Sachiko Okumura (ALMA-J Associate Professor), and Koichiro Morita (ALMA-J Associate Professor) participated in the ceremony. As the steel structure of the building has been completed, interior finish work will start from now on. It will take one more year to complete the entire building. The picture shows the Mayor of San Pedro de Atacama (left) performing a ritual of “Pachamama”. Pachamama is a Quechuan word meaning “Mother Earth”. The local people give thanks to Pachamama, the goddess of the earth who was supposed to govern the good harvest in the ancient Inca mythology, by dropping liquor on the ground on the occasion of celebrations.
