Of course, these ladies who prepare us our daily tortillas can not be missing in series about the real Guatemala. Here we see the clay comal ready to receive the uncooked corn cakes to be turned into fresh tortillas. Below the comal we can see the fire and the ever present pot with frijoles (black … Read more
Often we hear that Guatemala is a country of contrasts. Even I try to show it often and what better way to show the contrasts of Guatemalan women than yesterday’s photograph of capitalinas sporting the latest garments in fashion and today’s picture of three indigenous women wearing the traditional corte or Guatemalan hand-woven skirt. I … Read more
Many Guatemalans might regard thrillers and serial killers films as light and interested pieces of fiction because we are confronted with ultra violent headlines in newspapers like Nuestro Diario and Al Día, sensationalist rags that, like mirrors, show us every day how savage we can be. Ironically, Nuestro Diario boasts the largest circulation of any … Read more
Se empieza cediendo con las palabras. —Esperanza, mi novia We begin to yield with words. —Esperanza, my girlfriend Psychology 101: we begin the desensitization process the moment we incorporate into our daily vocabulary words and comments, jokes or phrases that belittle women; even if the remarks or phrases seemed insignificant. The same applies for the … Read more
Resistance through culture; culture through textiles; textiles as heritage; heritage as identity; identity as resistance. What do you think?
The best thing about street photography: serendipity —Philip Greenspun (source: Photo.Net) “Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long.” —Walker Evans (source: Photo.Net) See, I have tricked you into thinking I am a genius. I merely happen to be there … Read more
Here’s the follow-up photo to yesterday’s rear view mirror vista. In this picture, you can appreciate the different cortes worn by the indigenous women of Guatemala. These cortes are not the usual indigenous dresses you find around La Antigua Guatemala. I am not sure where they are from exactly, but for sure, the different styles … Read more
Some people like photos without people; aseptic and sterile images pues. I am the opposite. To me what makes the image interesting is the life in it. Here’s my approach to the photo taking process: This morning as I was driving past the San Francisco El Grande Church, I spotted a classic post card of … Read more
Sure, you say, the traje indígena is a far out outfit, but are there really symbols encoded in these garments? Once again, I will let Julia Montoya answer: “An ever present motif is the zig-zag horizontal stripe, which in Kaqchikel is called Kumatz (serpent or snake). There is also the star or flower which has … Read more
Last week, as we watch the delegations parade at the Beijing 2008 Olympics Inauguration, I was thinking how wonderful it was to see so many different and unique national dresses from the many countries around the world. Some of the delegations opted for a no-frills-western-style tie-shirt-suit formal dress code, while others chose to show off … Read more
Before what we know today as Guatemala vanishes into the fragile realm of memory, I am glad I can take some mementos to help me remember once I become yet another winter sleeper. I know it is very difficult to love or even understand this tiny banana republic, full of contrasts and contradictions. I know, … Read more
The Guatemalan way of life is rapidly disappearing right in front of our eyes. Today’s entry is such a case, as the image of women taking their maize to mill to make masa (maize dough) is fading away. Recently, I read an article in Prensa Libre which stated that people are abandoning the use of ‘real’ maize to make masa in favor of corn flour because the price difference was now so tiny that it made economic sense to abandon the use of maize.
Like these two ladies, many wonder if the new Social Democratic cabinet will be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the masses and hope that just having one woman Ministra and one indigenous Ministro (Secretary of an executive department) in a country where 60% of the population are indigenous and at least, if not more, 50% of the population are women, will not be a handicap when the times comes to address the needs of the aforementioned people, which in turn represent the majority of the population.