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As almost every first of the month, AntiguaDailyPhoto is joining the City Daily Photo community in the orchestrated global effort to show you “wood” as a theme day. I opted to show you Maximón effigies made from wood, now holly wood really since Maximón is worshiped by the Maya people of Guatemala. Below, an introduction to Maximón from Wikipedia.

The origins of his cult are not very well understood by outsiders to the different Mayan religions, but Maximón is believed to be a form of the pre-Columbian Maya god Mam, blended with influences from Catholicism. Maximón may also be called San Simón. Originally, he was believed to be a Catholic priest who had looked after aboriginals during early 1600s.

Where Maximón is venerated, he is represented by an effigy which resides in a different house each year, being moved in a procession during Holy Week. During the rest of the year, devotees visit Maximón in his chosen residence, where his shrine is usually attended by two people from the representing Cofradia who keep the shrine in order and pass offerings from visitors to the effigy. Worshippers offer money, spirits and cigars or cigarettes to gain his favour in exchange for good health, good crops, and marriage counseling, amongst other favours. The effigy invariably has a lit cigarette or cigar in its mouth, and in some places, it will have a hole in its mouth to allow the attendants to give it spirits to drink.

Maximón is generally dressed in European 18th century style, although with many local variations. In Santiago Atitlán he is adorned with many colourful garlands, while in Zunil (where he is known as San Simón) he has a much more intimidating style, with his face obscured by dark sunglasses and a bandanna.

The worship of Maximón treats him not so much as a benevolent deity but rather as a bully whom one does not want to anger. He is also known to be a link between Xibalbá The Underworld and Bitol heart of heaven (Corazón del Cielo). His expensive tastes in alcohol and cigarettes indicate that he is a very human character, very different from the ascetic ideals of Christian sainthood. Devotees believe that prayers for revenge, or success at the expense of others, are likely to be granted by Maximón. (source: Wikipedia)

Video of What Would Maximón Do? courtesy of Kara Andrade of NewMaya.org:

Like many firsts of the month, AntiguaDailyPhoto is participating in the theme day of the City Daily Photo community around the world. To see how others in the City Daily Photo community have interpreted today’s theme please click here to view thumbnails for all participants around the planet.

The 2009 rainy season that officially began on April 24 is now over. Nevertheless, before the end, we received 1″ (over 25 mm) of rain between Fridays and Saturday. These last rains were caused by the Hurricane Ida. Hurricane is one of the few Mayan words that have made it into the global scene.

In Maya mythology, Tepeu and Gucumatz (also known as Kukulkan, and as the Aztec’s Quetzalcoatl) are referred to as the Creators, the Makers, and the Forefathers. Huracán (Hurricane), or the Heart of Heaven, also existed and is given less personification. He acts more like a storm, of which he is the god. Tepeu and Gucumatz hold a conference and decide that, in order to preserve their legacy, they must create a race of beings who can worship them. Huracán does the actual creating while Tepeu and Gucumatz guide the process. (source: Maya Creation according to the Popol Vuh at Crystalinks)

By the way, Now we’re talking about the weather, I’d like to share with you the cutting-edge work being done my dear friend Norman of ClimaYa.com who’s setting up real-time weather stations all over Guatemala so we can have up-to-the-minute accurate meteorological data. If you visit the ClimaYa.com web site, you can scan the different weather station on the sidebar as well as read the most recent eye-witness tweets for Guatemala and Costa Rica. Check it out!

This morning the weather changed dramatically with an almost clear skyline, except for a few clouds over Volcán de Agua, and quite comfortable temperatures.

So, what kind activities are done in Guatemala to celebrate Independence Day?

Most people in Guatemala often say that Guatemalans are not very “patriotic” and immediately mention how patriotic the Mexicans really are: “that’s really patriotism!” Having said that, you can begin to see the first glances of Independence Day activities back in July, or earlier, with student bands practices (#1). Of course, there is plenty of Independence Day bunting everywhere since the first days of September and a lot of street vendors selling flags in all shades of blue, even though only one blue is the official (#2). One week before September 15, there are student parades from pre-primary to high school on the streets of every town in the country (#3). Don’t forget the marathons with their patriotic torches(#4). In every school, government building and town’s main plaza there are Pledges of Alliance to the Flag, although here we call it Juramiento a la bandera, and the singing of Guatemala’s National Anthem recitals; check out last year’s Libre al viento tu hermosa bandera to read Guatemala’s National Anthem in English (#5). In some towns, there are enactments of the Signing of Independence Act (#6). On September 15th, at 6 p.m. all over main squares and central parks of Guatemala there is a civic act known as La arriada de la bandera, Haul down of the flag (#7). There are, of course, speeches remembering the signing of the Independence Act and how many years has been thus far (188) since 1821 (#8). Last but not least, the burning of firecracker bombs, firecrackers and fireworks, which may include Torito firecracker burnings (#9). I am certain that I am forgetting something. Please, feel free to tell me what I missed in the comments.

That’s what Guatemalans, who are not very “patriotic”, do to celebrate their Independence Day. So, do you still consider Guatemalans as unpatriotic?

The Panchoy Valley, where La Antigua Guatemala is located, used to be a lake at the time the Conquistadores arrived and when they founded the second Santiago de Guatemala in the Almolonga Valley, now Ciudad Vieja which is about two miles from Antigua. Then the Panchoy Lake basin was fed by the Pensativo River. The Panchoy Lake was filled with packed soil and stones as the third Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala was founded in 1541 and the city began to grow. The last remains of the Pensativo River can still be observed today along the Calle Chipilapa during the rainy season.

Also, both Panchoy and Almolonga valleys are surrounded by three volcanoes and mountain ranges which served as funnels during the rainy season collecting tremendous amounts of water; much more than can be consumed by all the trees and plants on the hills around La Antigua Guatemala, which by the way, remain evergreen year round.

These are some of the reasons why there’s an abundant supply of water in and around La Antigua Guatemala. This ample source, fuente in Spanish, of water can also help explain why there are thousands of fountains, fuentes in Spanish, and búcaros, half fountains embedded on walls, in and around La Antigua Guatemala. It seems like every restaurant has at least one fountain, even the fast food restaurants. You should browse the Fountains and Gardens category to see over 35 samples taken over the three years of existence and 1215 entries of AntiguaDailyPhoto. I hope you enjoy the fountain tour through time.

Every year, On January 15th, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala, the United States, Europe and other Central American countries flock to pay homage to the dark wooden image of the crucified Christ, the most revered Catholic shrine in Esquipulas, the spiritual center of Central America. The image of the Black Christ dates back to March 9, 1595, when the Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño presented it to the mayor of the city. (source: Wikipediag.org)

It seems like La Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala (The Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Saint James of the Knights of Guatemala), now known simply as La Antigua Guatemala, has always been at the epicenter of past events in Central America. So, it turns out that the Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño was living in Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala when he was commissioned the sculpture of the crucified Christ for the shrine of Esquipulas, which is located in the Guatemalan Department of Chiquimula on the border with Honduras and he was finished on October 4th of 1594 the people from Esquipulas traveled to La Antigua Guatemala to pick up the figure and during the trip back to Esquipulas, those who saw the sculpture were enchanted by its beauty and requested to have the crucified Christ image at least a day; finally arriving in Esquipulas on March 9, 1595. That’s how the pilgrimage began to pay homage to the Black Christ of Esquipulas. Below you can read the actual contract between Cristóbal de Morales, the donor, and Quirio Cataño, the sculptor.

En la Ciudad de Santiago de Guatemala, a los veintinueve dí­as del mes de agosto del año mil quinientos noventa y cuatro, Cristóbal de Morales, Provisor de este Obispado, concertó con Quirio Cataño, oficial de escultor, que haga para el Pueblo de Esquipulas un Crucifijo de vara y media, muy bien acabado y perfeccionado, que lo debe dar acabado el dí­a de San Francisco, primero que viene, y se han de dar por él cien tostones de cuatro reales de plata cada uno; y para en cuenta de los dichos cien tostones confesó haber recibido adelantados cincuenta tostones de los cuales recibió realmente y el se obligó a cumplirlo, y para ello obligó su persona y bienes y lo firmó de su nombre y el dicho Provisor.

—Cristóbal de Morales – Quirio Cataño.
(source: Cristo Negro de Esquipulas/Wikipedia ES)

Who wants to have a chance at translating the above contract?

Today is theme day for the City Daily Photo community around the world; 840 daily city web sites thus far. For the first theme day of the year, there are 151 cities participating with their best photo of 2008. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

I don’t remember if subscribe to participate in the theme day. However, I decided to participate not with the best photo of 2008, which I really don’t know which one to pick anyway, but rather with an emblematic image for the best photo of the year for La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo. Since I published so many photos of the Guatemalan Cuisine in 2008, I decided to begin the year with a photo very popular dish: Caldo de Pata or Mondongo.

Caldos (stocks or stews) are among the most popular dishes from the Guatemalan cuisine. I believe most of caldos have pre-Columbian origins and caldos are quite possibly some of the best remaining samples of the Mayan cuisine (see the aside about The Maya below).

Today’s photo of Caldo de Pata or Mondongo as it is also known in other parts of Latin America was taken at the 7 Caldos Restaurant. This Mondongo was the best I had ever had in my life and I have had this dish in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.A.

The caldo de patas stew or stock is made with muscles and bones from the lower legs of either pork or cow, as well as belly, head and other such entrails along with potatos, carrots, güisquil (chayote), elote (maize/corn) and ayote or chilacayote (squash and/or sweet squash). The caldo de patas can be blanco or rojo (white or red); the red takes its color from tomatoes and chiles primarily.

As you can see, the list of ingredients, except for the meats, are crops from the milpa, a sort of a maize field, but something considerably more complex (… continue reading the definition of Milpa by Charles C. Mann). Milpa is one of the most successful human inventions ever created. Milpa was the agriculture mechanism that allowed the Maya to reach its density and complexity.

For those who don’t know, The Maya were the greatest and most complex civilization in the American Continent. A quoted passage from Wikipedia:

The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Preclassic period, many of these reached their apogee of development during the Classic period (c. 250 CE to 900 CE), and continued throughout the Postclassic period until the arrival of the Spanish. At its peak, it was one of the most densely populated and culturally dynamic societies in the world. (Source: Wikipedia.org)

Guatemala, of course, was the birthplace and the heart of the Maya civilization and the region with the largest remaining ruins from the Maya cities and towns. I read somewhere that there were over one million Maya people just in the region of El Petén at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. There are less than 100,000 people living in El Petén at present.

As of 22 hours local time of Sunday 4th of November, Guatemala’s Electoral Supreme Tribunal or Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) in Spanish has declared the Socal-Democrat Alvaro Colom as the new elected president of Guatemala. You can see the live results at the Tribunal Supremo Electoral web site. The result were 52.76% (1,409, 990) for Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE) the Social Democrat party; Alvaro Colom’s party and 47.24% (1,262,680) for Partido Patriota (PP) which postulated Ex-General Otto Pérez Molina; this results as of 23 hours.

The second round of the 2007 elections (first round was on September 9th) had a low participation, but were swift and without any violence. In La Antigua Guatemala you could into one of the voting centers and cast your ballot under three minutes.

This is the sixth time since 1985 that Guatemalans elect a president by popular vote. And this is the first time Guatemala left the conservative right wing. Beginning January 14th, Guatemala will be considered a Social-Democrat country and it will be inline with most of the countries of the American Continent. Guatemala will be turning green with hope of a better future; green because is the color of the party of Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza and hope because that is what Esperanza means. Let’s hope this new turn and focus will be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the masses. Let’s hope too that this time around the empire and its intelligence means will let us be what we have decided with our democratic elections. Let’s not have another 1954 ever again.

It is official: The California avocado if from La Antigua Guatemala. I had mentioned a couple of times the antigüeños are known as Panzas Verdes (green bellies) because of all the avocados they eat (see trivia 2) and that one Wilson Popenoe took the antigüeño avocado to California (see trivia 3). Thanks to an email from Guy from Inner Diablog, a Guatemalan blog published from the U.K., who alerted me about an avocado monument around El Calvario Church on the Walter Williams road to San Juan del Obispo. Well, I drove several times around the area and I did not find such monument, but I did find the Walter William Road monument just outside El Calvario Church. So back to hunting for the avocado monument I asked my good friend and ever-flowing source of antigüeño trivia, JM Magaña, about the location of the avocado monument and he told me it was right there in Central Park, right across the La Antigua Guatemala Cathedral. Boy oh boy, Parque Central is full plain-view secrets. Okay, so this is the short version of how I found out that the California Avocado is really from La Antigua Guatemala. Below you can see the plaque planted right in Central Park and its location relative the Antigua Guatemala Cathedral.

I guess not all the gossip around Antigua is untrue. Another piece of hearsay is that the novel El Papa Verde (The Green Pope) by Miguel Ángel Asturias, 1967 Nobel Prize in Literature, based its main character in Frederick Wilson Popenoe, who worked for the United Fruit Company and lived at Casa Popenoe. The Green Pope is part of Miguel Ángel Asturias The Banana Trilogy, three books (novels) about what the horrible things the United Fruit Company did in Central America. From avocados to bananas, history repeats itself. Read on Citizens for Boycotting Chiquita at Immigration Orange to learn what the UFCO, now known as Chiquita Brands International, Inc. is doing at present in Colombia. Please, don’t eat Chiquita Bananas!

All year long he hides under the bed or in the junk piled up in the corner, casting misfortune or worse on helpless mortals. But on Wednesday, December 7, at 6 p.m. sharp, the Devil gets his comeuppance, as he is tossed out of the house along with the trash and set ablaze in the Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil), a tradition in many Guatemalan towns that literally sparks the beginning of the Christmas Season.

The origins of the Quema del Diablo in Guatemala can be traced to colonial times, when the well-to-do adorned the fronts of their homes with elaborate lanterns on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, explains historian Miguel Álvarez Arévalo. Unable to afford lanterns, poor denizens instead lit bonfires made of kindling and the trash from their homes. The practice over time evolved into the Quema del Diablo. (Quoted from Juan Carlos Ordoñez’s article The Devil Gets His Due in Revue Magazine—click the link to continue reading the article.)

I am publishing today’s photo a little later so I can include the Burning of the Devil photos on its celebration day, December 7th. Instead trying to explain what this celebration entails, I decided to quote and link to the excellent article my friend Juan Carlos Ordoñez wrote last year for the Revue Magazine. Please, do read the article if you want to understand what does burning the of the devil means.

Here are the supporting photos: 1. The close-up of the Burning Devil 2. Meet the Devil in Person 3. Devil Piñata #7.

The Game:
Play to win the grand prize of any of the today’s four photos turn into a postcard and mailing, with Guatemalan Coffee stamps, anywhere in the world. The first person that translate into English the text on the yellow sign underneath the devil on the Meet the Devil in Person photo becomes the winner. Spanish speakers and Spanish bilinguals are not allow to play. Sorry Ale!