Guatemala
Chichicastenango, 1984
Guatemala Market Pigs
The bus ride through the mountains to Chichicastenango was unforgettable. Packed tightly on the bus, my brother Rocky and I traveled with a variety of animals and their owners. Views of the coffee plantations were breathtaking, but it was also distressing to realize that this was the slash and burn technique in action. The bus careened up and down the steep slopes and seemed to play chicken with oncoming traffic.
The trip was thrilling, but the amazement of arriving safe and sound was second only to seeing the brilliant colors of the marketplace. After twenty years, Chichicastenango remains etched in my mind. Native Guatemalans were selling beautifully embroidered clothing, tablecloths, woven rugs, ceramics, fruits and vegetables, pigs, and much more. Flowers of many hues and scents provided a feast for eyes and nose.
I admired the women, who carried children on their backs as well as loads of wares to sell. The embroidery or woven designs of their clothing indicated where they were from. I had never bargained in a marketplace, but soon experienced their gracious assistance in making my choices and reaching a satisfactory price. I admire these enterprising Guatemalans for their amazing handiworks and warm smiles which will remain in my memory always.
Peace is not a little white dove, it is me and you. — Rigoberta Menchu
Helene Zelaya, Peace Corps/Honduras, 1983-85, Rural Pilot Schools project advisor. Now a foreign language teacher in Fargo, ND.