In the Quechua culture of the Peruvian Andes, an ukuku is a demi-god character—half human, half Andean bear—that delivers ice from high-elevation glaciers to provide water to the surrounding towns.

Flynn Vickowski, 23, of Longmeadow practices assembling the tent in which she will sleep some nights during her nine months in Peru researching Andean bears. LONGMEADOW — On a recent Wednesday ...

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