Art and Resistance in Guatemala

Guatemala, Chontala

This article is one of a series of travel entries from CMC Steamboat student Bailey Peth’s blog, and recounts one day of her recent trip to Guatemala. Bailey traveled to the Central American country as part of CMC’s study abroad program Art and Resistance in Guatemala. The program filled up in 2012; find out information about next year’s Guatemala trip, and other study abroad opportunities, through our study abroad page.

Guatemalan women weavers in Chontala, Guatemala.

The van trundles up the mountain, switch back after switch back after switch back. Painted all over the rocks that line the highway are the symbols and initials of the prominent political parties of Guatemala, a different one each couple of yards. All hastily spray painted. Out the other window the majestically lush hills of the highlands slide past. Farms, shanties, empty bottles, food wrappers, skinny live stock, the smell of burning garbage, dirty children and women with tanned and wrinkled faces; each with a smile on their face. Through all of this, a feeling of strange and wild beauty.

Our van turns down a dirt track and trundles along for several minutes before we arrive at our destination, Chontala. We proceed on foot through a corn field and down a steep hill until we arrive at a small, but cozy home. It is square, made of cement, and smells of something delicious. We walk through a short hallway and emerge onto a covered back porch. Hanging on parallel clothes lines around the perimeter of the porch are weavings of every size, and color, and pattern, each more beautiful than the last. Together they make up the most vibrant walls I’ve ever seen. Each piece was hand-made on a back-strap loom by one of the women in this town.

Each one of these innocent women was personally affected by the war. Most lost husbands or sons or fathers, but some lost their entire family. Left with no one and no way to support them self the women went to the church seeking help. However the church had also fallen victim to the military, surviving a bombing and poverty as extreme as the women’s. What the church did have however was thread, which it donated to the women so they may make clothes and bags and journals, and all kinds of beautiful things to sell. In this way the Ruth & Naomi project begun.(Want to see more? http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/8810)Despite all their troubles and the material poverty they live in these women have lights in their eyes. The moment we arrive they smile at us. They share their personal trials with us, each story heart breaking and inspiring. They do not cry, they simply tell about what once was, eager to share. The hope and the happiness in these women’s eyes is what I’ve come to see. I just want to know that people, despite dire circumstances, still are happy.
Once the stories are told, the ladies reveal to us the source of the delicious aroma; the best fried chicken I have ever eaten and soft warm hand-made tortillas. When we finish they whisk away our dishes with bright smiles.Despite not being able to exchange words with them directly we can feel in the air how happy they are for us to be there listening. We feel welcome.