Guatemala English language Magazine
Fri., 15 through Wed., 20th — CATM FAIR: The Central American Travel Market (CATM) 2010 fair is a technical and professional encounter, during which tourism offices from Central American countries have the opportunity to establish commercial relationships between the tour operators and the wholesalers of the main tourist-issuing markets at an international level including Europe, Asia and Latin America. The […]
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a book written by Naticksqw When writing about someone as interesting and multi-faceted as Naticksqw (pronounced Nah-tick-squaw) the hardest part is deciding where to begin. Do you start by mentioning she is one of 12 children? That she grew up in rural Massachusetts in a house with no heating? Do you begin by describing the quiet energy that radiates from […]
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Surrounded by an appreciative crowd, a group of musicians known as Grupo Sol Latino, were playing Andean music, which originated in the Incan Empire before the European conquest.
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The apparition appears as a young girl with long, shiny black hair and a beautiful figure, though her face is always veiled in shadow.
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As our cover photo suggests, this is the time of year when sea turtles are arriving on the shores of Guatemala’s Pacific coast to make a nest on dry land in which to deposit their eggs. Matt Bokor’s article on page 14 describes some of the wonder and the perils that exist for these gentle creatures at the Monterrico-Hawaii Natural […]
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La Camioneta is a feature-length documentary about the “afterlife” of American school buses and the people who make it all possible. After 10 years or 150,000 miles on the road, American school buses are often deemed no longer usable and often end up at one of the country’s many used-bus auctions. From there, a sizable percentage of these buses end […]
Read moreCelebrate the vision of young Guatemalans with the photographs taken during Project Einstein. For six weeks of intensive training in Zona Reyna Quiché, more than 70 young Maya-Q’eqchi’s learned photography, video, reporting and journalism to tell stories of their community. All photos were taken by the young people. Funds from the sale of the photographs will be donated to the […]
Read moreThe intention of the Guatemala NGO Network is to make the site a resource that the world can use to better serve Guatemala and its people. At a recent meeting held at La Peña de Sol Latino in La Antigua, attendees had the opportunity to hear about the work of, among others, the Reicken Foundation, Children International, Friends of the […]
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What started as a blank square in the original drawings, La Antigua’s Parque Central grew and morphed in fits and starts for 467 years to meet the needs of each new generation.
Read moreMaking a difference Tessa de Goede is a 27-year-old Dutch woman who came to Guatemala three years ago. After doing volunteer work in several countries she found out that helping children with cleft lips was the work that touched her the most. “It’s just a feeling I have inside when I see a baby with a cleft lip. I just […]
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The tomb was found on May 28 of this year. Co-director for the bi-national Archaeological Project El Zotz, Edwin Román Ramírez, believes it is the burial chamber of King Chak’ Ahk, one of the first kings of a Mayan dynasty to settle in El Zotz. The tomb contained caches of elaborate stucco masks and ceramic vessels as well as 1,600-year-old […]
Read moreTransitions creates 10 years of mobility in Antigua Transitions Foundation, an Antigua-based organization dedicated to supporting and empowering Guatemalans with disabilities, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its wheelchair workshop. The workshop offers employment opportunities, currently to nine people with disabilities, and produces affordable and custom-tailored wheelchairs and mobility devices for those in need. History The workshop was rented from […]
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A TOAST IN HONOR OF BROOKS Offered by Mark, Matt, David and Paul Thompson, Audrey’s sons (July 8, 2010) Brooks Buderus was a man of many loves, especially his love for his soul mate of over 40 years, his devoted wife—our mother, Audrey. Together they loved and lived life as a big adventure, an approach that brought them many delights, […]
Read moreThe Direccción General de las Artes del Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes and Hotel Casa Santo Domingo present the 2nd Festival de Música Antigua starting Saturday August 14 through Sunday 22. The festival features the musical groups Capilla de La Asunción, Coro Nacional, Ensamble Barroco de Guatemala, Dúo Galante from Mexico, Ganassi from Costa Rica and Santiago Players from the […]
Read morewritten by Dianne Carofino photos: George Carofino What makes a farm “organic,” one that grows organic produce? We put that question to Alex Kronick as we tour Caoba Farms, his five-acre organic farm on the outskirts of La Antigua Guatemala. Alex began his business six years ago, originally selling organic produce to one restaurant, and then quickly adding a second. […]
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Eight Spanish soldiers of fortune commanded by Capt. Pedro de Herrerías arrived in the valley of Tactic. They had been following the Cahabón River to its source, in the hope of finding the Fountain of Youth, which the Indians of Cozumel had told them was located in this area.
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And so August is upon us. As we look for our joy this month, our Joy Houston looks for the center of old Santiago. With new analysis techniques, recent excavations and research, it appears that Ciudad Vieja is probably not the true Old Town as traditionally thought. Full story on page 12. Our cover photo this month by Rudy Girón […]
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text and photos by Dr. Al Thompson What might one do with a garden wall constructed of block painted white, other than wonder what one might do with such a wall so common in Antigua? Frequently, your 10-foot wall has been challenged by new construction behind it, which may exceed yours by another eight or 10 feet. Yes. What might […]
Read morewritten by Asa Bjorklund and Judith Gibbons photos by Asa Bjorklund Have you ever “choked” in the face of an important competition? Many athletes have panicked and become paralyzed in the arena, even to the point of giving up sports they really liked. In June, Sandy Venneman, psychology professor and equestrian, visited Club Ecuestre La Ronda in Finca Azotea in […]
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written by Eduardo Linares Batres More than a quarter of a century ago, a pal of mine lucked into acquiring a Mercedes-Benz classic, a used-but-babied 300SL “Gullwing.” To say that this is one of the all-time, absolute greatest cars ever made is, in my opinion, an understatement. When it was introduced around 1952-3, it was as an all-out race car […]
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9 Fri., 7pm — BEAUTY CONTEST: Elección y Coronación de Señorita Antigua 2010-2011. Q50. Salón César Brañas 5a calle poniente # 44-A. 10 Sat., 2-5pm — DANCE: Folk dances featuring municipal dance groups. Salón César Brañas. 10 Sat., 8-4pm —ART: Outdoors Painting Festival. Central Park. 11 Sun., 7pm — MUSIC: Concert by Colectivo Dharana, Central Park. 16 Fri., 7pm — […]
Read morewritten by Bob Makransky The only instance, in the entire Spanish conquest of the Americas, when the local chieftain was permitted to retain the power of government. By the year 1543, after several unsuccessful military expeditions against the warlike Q’eqchi’ Indians, the Spanish conquerors were desperate. At the same time, it had become evident to the chieftain of chieftains of […]
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Green has pervaded our July pages in several shades and forms, starting with Jungle green on the cover. Few can capture natural beauty as vibrantly as phototographer and wildlife conservationist Thor Janson. From the palette of Ken Veronda’s Sensuous Guatemala we are offered Emerald in all of its splendor. In Could Weeds Turn Guatemala Green?, Oliver Thornwhistle looks at two […]
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text and photo by William Lynch It was the finals for the Mosquito Division championship of the Open Schools Soccer Tournament. A field full of seven-, eight- and nine-year- olds was struggling to take home the City Champs Trophy, a tiny thing perhaps but very important to these kids. The game was chaotic since children at this age can’t kick […]
Read morewritten by Kathy Torpie Moisture gathers on my skin as I trudge through the thick, heavy air to the market where Mayas in brightly woven clothes endure the heat as they brush the flies from their produce. The only movement of air is my breath, taken in shallow sips, and only the cicadas flourish. Their loud, screeching chorus of sexual […]
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Building new lives in Guatemala written by Brian Kirkup Constru Casa was founded in 2004, and by the end of 2010 we hope to have built our 400th home. The houses are basic but effective, consisting of three rooms, concrete walls, a metal roof, a concrete floor, a shower and a toilet. The cost of the house to the family […]
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The International Dance Festival Antigua Guatemala is a feast of dance works in a performance shining with energy and inspiration. The festival’s program was created to delight, excite, captivate and entertain an international audience. Performances of Danceforms’ The 51st International Choreographers’ Showcase will take place at Body Arts in Guatemala City on June 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. and […]
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I certainly didn’t expect to get a free lesson of what I call Chapiñol, it is maybe 50 percent Spanish and 50 percent Chapinismos. His name was Miguel and he started throwing phrases like: tengo un gran clavo or me echan el muerto. I simply replied yes and/or no, but in truth I had no idea what he was talking about, “I have a big nail” What ???
Read moreGoogle’s fast-growing online translation service will now be able to translate text into and out of Maya and Nahuatl, which are Central American languages that pre-date Spanish. According to the Economic Times, “Nahuatl is mostly spoken in southern Mexico and northern Central America, while Maya is spoken across Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala and Belize.” The newspaper also says that the […]
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On the cover this month is Dr. Richard Hansen, director of the Mirador Basin Project, in front of an archeological excavation going on at El Mirador. His interview by Joy Houston includes some historical perspective and some future plans for this critically important region of Guatemala. Matt Bokor takes us on two quick side trips: tranquil El Remate and the […]
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