Guatemala Return
January 2007
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When we crossed back into Guatemala from El Salvador we knew we were in for a different experience than the last time we were in Guatemala but we had no clue what it would be like. We had decided to head to the remote town of Tamahu where Eric’s Mom and Dad have gone for several years as volunteers on medical missions. The journey to Tamahu was beautiful as we climbed on the winding road into the Alta Verapaz mountains where much of Guatemala’s famous coffee is grown. When we arrived in Tamahu we went right to the Mission San Pablo in the center of town to introduce ourselves and find out what we could help with while we were there. We met Padre Belisario who had heard we were coming from Barb’s emails and welcomed us with open arms and a neat little house to stay in. He introduced us to the neighbors and helped us find things we could help with like going to the primary school run by the nuns to teach little bits of English and sing songs.
We wasted no time getting integrated in the community as we met the neighbors and started our daily ritual of playing with the local kids and Bruce in the street in front of the house in which camped. Our timing couldn’t have been luckier as we arrived a few days before the beginning of the festival of the town’s patron saint San Pablo. The first big event for the week was the crowning of the Mayan queen which we were permitted to attend. The election ceremony was full of traditional songs and dances as well as each candidate’s display of traditional dress, prayer and a little speech in the Mayan dialect, as well as Spanish. The next several days we got to meet and know Padre Ricardo who took us up into the mountains where there are many small villages of Mayan farmers and families. The people were amazing. They had a use for everything and seemed to make so much out of thin air. The experience sure made us recognize how gifted we are to have been born in a place and into families where we were able to have a bed, clothes and food, not to mention a college education. We met a woman named Martha Elena at the Casa de Corazon de Maria which is a soup kitchen for the poor of the town and the surrounding villages. She is an endlessly energetic and cheerful woman who has formed a co-operative of Mayan weavers in the area. She took us on a tour to meet and photograph the women of the co-operative. Our dream is to find a way to help these women by providing a method for them to sell their art to the world via the internet.
Undoubtedly, we felt the strongest connection with our neighbors and surrogate family, the Petans. They have two daughters (Denisse and Karla) as well as a young son named Dieter and an older son who is studying in Guatemala City. We visited with the Petans every day and learned many things about the local history and the region from their kind and patient explanations. We further improved our Spanish conversing with them and talked about all sorts of ideas for the future, including the construction of a computer lab in town. For all of you out there in tech land, when we get settled somewhere down the line we will be sending out more information about this project and ways you might be able to help if interested.
The climax of the cultural events was the parade and feast day for San Pablo. We were the only strangers in town and although we felt like aliens at points we were truly grateful for being able to experience and share the event with the locals. They loved hamming up for our digital camera and then seeing their picture on the screen. The most colorful part of the events was the Dance of the Vanado, or the deer. This is a tradition where the elders of the town wear very old costumes depicting deer, hunters and other animals where they dance for hours upon hours to traditional marimba music.
It was tough, but we eventually had to leave Tamahu as we knew that Sarah’s Dad and Step-Mom would be coming to meet us in San Cristobal de las Casas on February 10th. We packed it up and headed toward Belize through Coban and the jungles of central Guatemala. The road was really beautiful and less traveled as the way to get to Flores and Tikal. We had heard much about these famous Mayan ruins. We arrived in Tikal and found nice camping right in the park despite the strict no dog policy -- shhhhhh. We spent the following day exploring the mystical world of Tikal and reacquainting ourselves with the sight of other travelers. The ruins blew us away almost as much as the jungle setting. Our best description is that Tikal is like taking the most spectacular jungle and natural environment and throwing in equally breathtaking and historic Mayan ruins. This is one of those places you must see to appreciate. After Tikal, we headed for Belize. Guatemala is a strange place: simple, a bit rough but sure to change your life if you give it the time and open you heart to it. It most definitely changed ours.