A quick visit this Sunday to Santa María de Jesús, the municipality south of Antigua Guatemala and the highest community on the skirt of Volcán de Agua was very gratifying due to the friendliness of the people living there, especially so the Maya Kaqchikel, who are the majority. I say it was quick because it … Read more
One of the things one can encounter quite often on the streets of Antigua Guatemala is smiles. Big smiles are everywhere around La Antigua Guatemala, especially so around Parque Central where it seems people are always having a good time. When was the last time you smiled and laughed so hard? Perhaps a new trip … Read more
Last week we did a mini series on campesinos and the milpa fields located on the skirt of Volcán de Agua. Today we show the most obvious and popular food, tortillas, that is made from maize harvested from the milpa fields. Other Guatemalan food based on corn are: Tamales, tostadas, chuchitos, pupusas, atoles, dobladas, enchiladas, … Read more
As every Día de la Raza I would like to share with you the faces of cultural resistance in a world where identity is being erased or blended, in Guatemala the Maya people represent a strong hold for the Guatemalan identity. In Guatemala and many countries in Latin America, October 12 is a national holiday … Read more
The atrium of the former Compañía de Jesús building is a favourite spot to have lunch during sunny days as well as during rainy days. Here we can appreciate the immensity of this building façade when compare the Maya women having lunch under the arch to shelter themselves from the light rains. ¡Buen provecho pues!
In my opinion, the native Maya clothing from Guatemala are very stylish. Some might argue that Guatemalan Maya clothes are even in fashion now. What are your thoughts about the Guatemalan Maya style?
I saw this Maya girl peeking through the windows of a very high-end cafe in Antigua Guatemala; fortunately, I had my telephoto lens with me and on the camera, so I pulled it to my eye, anticipated what would the next window where she would show up and point it at it. Sure enough she … Read more
I am not too sure this Guatemalan woman will be singing this popular song to bring on the rain, don’t you agree? Que llueva, que llueva Canción infantil Que llueva, que llueva La Virgen de la Cueva Los pajaritos cantan, Las nubes se levantan. ¡Que sí, que no, que caiga un chaparrón! Que siga lloviendo, … Read more
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
This wonderful clay pottery was brought all the way from Totonicapán; that’s near Xela in case you didn’t know, to be sold in Antigua Guatemala and its surrounding villages. Believe or not, many people still use clay pottery to cook. Just the other day while researching about leña, firewood fuel, I learned that some families … Read more
Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe in Antigua Guatemala As I have shared with you in previous years, in La Antigua Guatemala, religious celebrations draw together all kinds of heterogeneous people and the Feast of Our Lady of Virgen de Guadalupe is no exception. On December 12 celebrations of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Our Lady … Read more
This is one of the images with which I am participating this year in Guatemala’s largest photo festival, FOTO30, which spans the 30 days of September; thus the name. “Víctimas y victimarios” or “Victims and Victimizers” photo exhibition was organized by the Club Fotográfico de Antigua, CFA for short, of which I am a co-founder. … Read more
The haunting Mayan sounds of the chirimilla flute and drums can still be heard at most religious and public events. Unfortunately, while talking with the musicians, I learned that one the chirimilla flute retires no one in his family or descendants will continue his legacy. I believe this is repeating with many indigenous Mayan families … Read more
Very often I see women on their way to the maize mill to turn nixtamalized maized into masa dough to make tortillas. As I have mentioned before, in Guatemala freshly baked/cooked tortillas are sold three times a day (los tres tiempos). Yet, there are many people who still like to prepared their own tortillas at … Read more
I have a fascination for bare naked walls that show the materials that are used to form them. Bricks, rocks, concrete, adobe, et cetera, that’s what’s shown in this picture; everything in a harmonious texture. Of course, if we can get a climbing plant to top the wall and some trees on the other side … Read more