Settling In (Revisited)

I have been in my town, Nueva Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, for three weeks now. I have had a lot of free time on my hands, as the teachers went on strike shortly after my arrival (not in response to me, I swear), and I have been unable to start working in the schools. Teachers' strikes are common here in Guatemala, and more than one can be expected annually. This is a particularly difficult dispute, as it deals not only with pay levels but the government's commitment to educational reform. The latest word is: we know nothing.

So what have I been doing? Trying to get settled in my new home, trying to get my face out into the community and introduce myself to local leaders. Trying to learn K'iche, the local language. It is proving to be significantly more difficult that Spanish was for me, and given that six years after learning to say hola I'm still not really fluent in Spanish, I doubt I'll ever master K'iche. But being able to chat a bit, and talk about the environment and natural disasters, hopefully is indeed within my reach. As I walked to the bus this morning I understood two women asking me what my name is and where I am from before I became clueless. A small victory but a victory nonetheless!

I have also been exploring the mountains that surround my town. It is rugged country, and very beautiful. Most of the people in my vast municipality live not in the cabecera where I do, put small communities tucked into these mountains. As much of the most dire poverty is found in these remote villages, I look forward to improving my K'iche and being able to work out there with them.

Also I have been hanging out with the local junior high. As they are a cooperative and not governed by the Ministry of Education they are still in session. Angel, the guy I live with, is the principal, and he invited me to help judge in their beauty pageant. Beauty pageants are a big part of the culture here in Guatemala, but rather than bikinis and evening gowns as you would expect of a ladino pageant, we had a more modest sportswear category, as well as a presentation in traditional dress. The winners were later besashed at a cultural night in the town hall, which mixed traditional song and dance with more modern fare (think macarena). Be it as it may a cliche, seeing the fusion/juxtaposition of old/new, traditional/modern, and indigenous/Western is really fascinating, particularly for someone who comes from a culture devoid of collective memory. The cultural night celebrated and promoted traditions reaching back centuries, while embracing liberal changes and outside influences. Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan is undoubtedly a bastion of indigenous culture in the very Mayan Guatemala Highlands. However some of the same forces that have allowed the culture to flourish also have contributed to the poverty and lack of opportunity affecting the region. The challenge of raising standards of living while maintaining cultural continuity and preserving a sense of identity is not unique to the people here, but rather is confronting cultures around the world. It is a challenge of great concern to many of my new friends here in Ixtahuacan.

Which puts me, the foreign development worker, in an interesting position. Clearly I came here with the best of intentions, but I know that in reality my work and presence here can have a variety of impacts, not all positive. When I was in New Orleans I participated in a workshop in which a local organizer had us out-of-town volunteers compare and contrast our work and presence in the Ninth Ward to the work of Christian missionaries in Africa in the twentieth century. His point, in part, was that good intentions are not enough: we all have our personal agendas and prejudices, which affect our efforts to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

I want to support these people in their struggles, not execute some kind of personal crusade. But that it easier said than done...I am interested if anyone out there has thoughts on this.

My email as always is jengler7@yahoo.com. Peace be with you!