Guatemala Trip


Tikal is the premier Mayan archeological site in Guatemala. Its peak was around 800 B.C. They were know for tall pyramids, a complex writing and numeral system and very accurate astrological studies.	Here is one of the Stella or carves stone pillars. They tell stories and record important dates. They used a base 20 numeral system and had a complex calendar of religious and regular dates.

Stone figure	The Mayan calendar stone.
	These are some of the pyramids at Tikal. They are very steep compared to other pyramids around the world. The jungle around these ruins is also a nature reserve full of monkeys, many birds and other animals.

The coastal regions of Guatemala are lush.	This is on the Rio Dulce.
	Solola is in the western highlands of Guatemala. The population of Guatemala is split about 50/50 between indigenous people and people of Spanish mix. The highlands is much more concentrated indigenous. There are over 20 languages spoken which can be grouped into about 8 groups. Towns in these areas have typical dress to that town, and one can tell where someone is from their dress. The clothes are made entirely by hand on a back strap loom. The market in Solola is on Saturdays and is very colorful with people coming in to buy, sell and trade almost anything. These weekly markets is main source of people's food, clothes and other supplies. Below is a market stand and local boy.


Chichicastenango is in the Quiche state. Their festival week commemorates their patron saint - San Tomas. During these ferias there is music, dances (both regular and ritualized) food and plenty of fun.	This market stand is selling the supplies women need to form a back strap loam for weaving their clothes.

These men are members of the local Cofradia - a religious society that oversees the festivals and activities of the church.	A local girl at the market where basic staples are sold.

Women from the Chimaltenango state east of soils and more gentle topography where lots	Guatemala city. This area is known for rich vegetables, fruits and flowers are grown.

During the day of the dead or all saints day people clean up and decorate the graves of their relatives. Marigolds are used a lot following tradition.	In Santiago Sac. Impressive kites are flown on the day of the dead. It is tradition to fly kites on this day across Guatemala, but the ones in Santiago are some of the biggest.

Lake Atitlan is in the highlands of Guatemala.	It is a very deep lake ringed by mountains and volcanos.

Market scene in Santiago Atitlan, one of the towns along the shores of Lake Atitlan.	Some of the boats used to move around the lake. Many of the towns along the lake have poor road service and boats are the main transport.

Women washing their clothes in the lake on rocks. Also a place where the young guys can try to meet the young women.	Gathering seaweed from the lake to fertilize their crop.
Onions are grown in San Pedro La Laguna on terraces and sold to communities around Lake Atitlan.

Antigua Guatemala was the capital the Spanish used for many years until it was moved to the present Guatemala city. It was moved because it kept being destroyed by natural disasters.	Antigua's location at the foot of three volcanos, one active, lead to many earthquakes and other natural disasters. There are many ruins of old churches in this town.

Kyler in front of the fountain in the town square of Antigua.	Inside one of the church ruins in Antigua.

Weaving on a back strap loam. It can be simple cloth woven or many designs can be woven into the cloth. These designs are traditional to a village or can be new ones as well.	Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan was one of my work sites during my Peace Corps stay. Here Jeannine is being taught how to make tortillas. It is near Lake Atitlan and the people speak Quiche. I was there 1985-1987. It is at an altitude of 8000 ft. For more pictures of Santa Catarina click here.

Wes dancing with one of the locals.	Everywhere you go kids play with these wheels. They are in front of a tamascal or Tuj that is used for steam baths.
My other Peace Corps site was La Cumbre, San Pedro Pinula in the State of Jalapa in the western section of Guatemala. This is still in the mountains but at an altitude of around 3500 ft. Corn and beans are the main staple crops and food. The people there are Pocomans but they have lost much of their language and traditional clothes. There is no electricity in this town and no running water when I first arrived. There is now a drinking water system. For more pictures of this area see its page at pinula.html. Kyler is next with a toad caught by a pond.

Totonicapan located in the eastern highlands is known for very ambitious people. On top a lady is selling candles. A business that is decreasing as electricity is expanded to new towns. The livestock market in Toto is very good. The loam on the right is weaving cloth for lady's dresses. The patters are formed by tie dyeing individual threads and then matching them up to form designs. It is done in very few places and is very complicated to make the figures and other designs.

Zunil is a small community east of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala's second biggest city. It is known for its vegetable production. Many small family vegetable plots are irrigated along the river.	The local dress is red and pink cloth with line patterns.


Todas las Santos in the state of Huehuetenango is a very high area with towns located at over 12,000 ft. Many crops cannot be grown at this altitude. There is a lot of grazing by sheep. The people here speak Mam. At the right is a marimba. It is the typical instrument of Guatemala and is played at dances and gatherings all over Guatemala.
Local boys in the traditional dress of this town	Many heavy things like this firewood is carried in Guatemala with this head strap method. It looks difficult, but in reality its very safe for one's back and you can carry an incredible amount of weight for long distances using this method. This is important where there are no roads.
Lady weaving gauze cloth with same color design in Alta Verapaz.	Two of the 20 volcanos in Guatemala.