i've posted a few pictures of Guatemala here previously, but as i was looking through my photographs today on the computer, i realized that i needed to say something more about the Mayans who live in the villages around Lake Atitlan.
there are 3 volcanoes around Lake Atitlan and the lake itself is an even older volcano. the Mayans believe that it is the birthplace of the world.
my knowledge of this area was fairly limited before i arrived, but my son visited here in 1996 and came home with stories about the Mayans and the civil war that had very recently ended. at that time, the people he spoke with were very guarded and cautious about talking of their experiences and i suspect they still are. they just want to get on with life and put it in the past...the memories are still too painful and recent.
while visiting the church in the village of Santiago Atitlan, i came across a very large memorial plaque on the wall near the entrance. as i stood reading the words carved in marble, i was shocked when i realized i was standing where people had been murdered...it wasn't theoretical...it wasn't textbook...it was here and it was real. the people around me, kneeling in prayer and sitting in pews, had lost family and loved ones. I felt much the same as i did in Laos while walking through the bomb pockmarked fields and dilligently walking the pathways that had been cleared of land mines.
we in the west, are sheltered from the immediate effects of war...it's something that happens "over there", and even when we watch it on television, we become numbed by constant overexposure. when we do come face to face with it's obvious effects...it becomes real and impossible to ignore. we can't easily flip the channel to escape.
hundreds in Santiago Atitlan were killed or disappeared. estimates range up to about 800 and photos in the town hall attest to at least 300 disappeared. a favorite priest, father Stan Rother from Oklahoma, was gunned down by soldiers in his study, next to the church.
Grace, one of our group, talking with a villager.
On the evening of December 1, 1990, several soldiers from the nearby garrison were in town drinking and began harassing some local women. some of the villagers threw stones at them and the soldiers pulled their weapons and fired, killing one. the townspeople, outraged, gathered in the town square, ringing the church bells to assemble the town. they marched, thousands strong, in the early morning hours to the garrison (just one mile away), to demand an end to harassment by soldiers. when they arrived at the gates of the garrison...men, women and children...they were met with gunfire...11 were killed, including an 11 year old, and 40 injured.
these boats are made of rough planks and have lots of gaps between them. i'm surprised they stay afloat! i just love the dog sitting at the back of the boat as though he's royalty and he's the reason they're all working so hard!
when the army finally left, a "peace park" was created by the townspeople on the site of army garrison. they lined the paths with the stones painstakingly removed as they disassembled the garrison, stone by stone. this park consists of markers commemorating the martyrs at the exact places they fell. a letter from the president promising to remove the army and to investigate the incident (that never happened) has been copied on an 8 foot high piece of marble and placed in the park as a constant reminder to any future governments.
these boys guided us through the town for a few quetzels
during the process of creating the park, a mass grave was found. Guatemalan military officials said that if any further digging took place the army would return. Complying with that threat, all digging stopped, but the hole is left as a reminder.
this wasn't the only village that suffered terribly during the civil war but it's a village that fought back and was able to embarrass the government into removing the army.
laundry day in Santiago Atitlan
as i walked through Santiago Atitlan i noticed a big difference in the weaving and textiles here from the other villages in the area. the men wear short white pants with birds or animals embroidered on them, a sash for a belt and a billowy white shirt. the women wear huipiles of purple, blue and white, which is radically different to the bright coloured huipiles of the other lake towns.
the shawl, that's draped over one shoulder is multi functional...they roll it up to put it between the basket and their head when they carry things on their head, it holds baby to their breast for feeding, to their back for carrying and to their stomach for sleeping. it's also used for carrying fruits and vegetables home for dinner...a multifunctional shopping bag!
a game of hoops!
one of the light hearted moments we experienced in the village happened when 2 in our group...Bill and our group leader, Adi...asked a couple of the village boys who were playing basketball, if they could join them...a little 2 on 2. i think Bill had the height advantage here!
women of San Pedro on Lake Atitlan
we weren't able to stay long and i would have loved to have visited the village of San Antonia Polopa where my friend Mary was working, but timing didn't permit that and we left before she arrived.
the villages of Lake Atitlan (we were also in San Pedro), the people and their history, touched my heart and i wanted to share a little of their story with you. thanks for taking the time to listen.
Kate I have been enjoying reading about your travel experiences. A copy of `The Artist's Way' landed in my mailbox this morning - I have been seeing references to this everywhere and finally decided to listen to the messages and buy it :) I am still reeling at the price of those hotdogs OMG!! that much money for food that isn't even `good for you' :)
Posted by: Helen Morley | 03/15/2007 at 08:34 PM
A fascinating travel account and some amazing photos. Also, I really love your new header, the little bird is so sweet.
Posted by: Patti | 03/17/2007 at 08:46 PM
Kate,
Thank you so much for sharing this story. You are right that we don't have any idea of what this type of tragedy is like. The photo's are beautiful.
xxo
stephanie
Posted by: Stephanie | 03/18/2007 at 09:25 AM