Research

In preparation for the trip, each member received a topic related to Guatemala to research and share with the other members.  This research helps us understand the culture will be entering and we want to share it with you!

Antigua, Guatemala:

• 34,685 inhabitants
• Antigua Guatemala means "Ancient Guatemala" and was the third capital of Guatemala.
• Antigua is noted for its very elaborate religious celebrations during Lent (Cuaresma), leading up to Holy Week
• Historically, the area was considered to be one of the finest agriculturally in Guatemala. 
• Tourism is the main driver of the economy. Antigua is also a coffee and grain producing region
• Destination for people who want to learn Spanish through immersion
• Antigua GFC football club has played in the Guatemala top division for several years but have been playing in the second division lately.
• Three large volcanoes dominate the horizon around Antigua.
• Volcan de Aqua or "Volcano of Water"
• Acatenango
• Volcan de Fuego  

Architecture:

• Distinctive characteristics include the use of decorative stucco for interior and exterior ornamentation, main facades with a central window niche and often a deeply-carved tympanum, a triangular space above a door.
• The countries massive buildings and low bell towers have been designed to withstand the region's frequent earthquakes.
• Significant historical buildings:
• The Palace of the Captain General, the Casa de la Moneda, the Cathedral, the Universidad de San Carlos, Las Capuchinas, La Merced, Santa Clara
• Many of the important buildings are built 1,500 m above sea level in hopes to avoid flooding

Historical Buildings:

• Palacio de los Capitanes Generales:
• For 200 years, this was the home of the Spanish viceroy, making it the seat of power for all of Central America. The original building, modified many times over the centuries, was constructed in the late 1500s and held the court of law, provincial offices, post office, treasury, royal office, servants' quarters, and horse stables within its more than 20,000 sq. m (215,000 sq. ft.). The current two-story structure, with its traditional facade of arches, is currently closed to the public and undergoing massive repairs and restoration. When restoration work is complete, it will be reopened as a cultural center. 

• Palacio del Noble Ayuntamiento:
• This 1743 structure was designed by Luis Diez de Navarro, Juan de Dios Aristondo, and Diego de Porras. Its impressive two-story facade is constructed of a double layer of stone archways supported by columns. The eastern wall has one of the few carved stone exteriors surviving from the 18th century. Originally the seat of the Spanish colonial government and a jail, it now houses the municipalidad, or city government, the Museo del Libro Antiguo, and the Museo de Santiago.

• Catedral San José
• Vowing to learn from the destruction of the cathedral during the earthquakes of 1583, the city (then called Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala) began construction of a new, more complex, and supposedly stronger cathedral in 1669. The structure, completed in 1680, contained seven entrances, five naves, 78 arches, 18 chapels, a main sacristy, and a main chamber. Unfortunately, seismology tends to repeat itself, and that cathedral was leveled in the great earthquake of 1773. You can visit the ruins from the south gate on 5a Calle Oeste. The entire structure was rebuilt in the 19th century (the sacrarium is the only piece used from the original). Embedded in the facade are several figures: the Virgen de la Asunción (Virgin of Assumption), Santiago Apóstol (Protector of the City), Padre Eterno (Eternal Father), the Doce Apóstoles (Twelve Apostles), and the four Padres de la Iglesia (Church Fathers), as well as the Protectoral Coat of Arms and a shell crossed by swords (a symbol of the Holy Protector). The interior is less impressive but houses a statue of Christ carved by Quirio Cataño, famous for carving the Black Christ of Esquipulas.

Jade:

• It was originally thought that there were only 3 colors, but today it is known that there are over 50 color combinations.
• Jade was originally only a specialty for Guatemalan Royals and was not to be handled by lower classes.
• There are many tiers in which the worth of Jade follows: some of the top ones include Empire, Jaguar, and Princess Jade.
• Colors vary all the way from purples to greens.
• It can be used to make many different pottery, jewlery, and other household items.

Religion:

• About 60% of Guatemala is Catholic
• There are processionals during Lent and other religious holidays
• Catholicism is very important and influential to the culture.
• We will be in Guatemala on Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and may get the opportunity to participate in carnival!

Coffee:

• Coffee is Guatemala's largest export.
• Their coffee production peaked at the beginning of the 2000s when it reached around 5,000,000 quintales. 
• Unfortunately in 2004, it dropped to only 345,000 quintales.  This is 1/3 productivity in only a few years because of coffee prices drastically dropping.
• The decline in coffee's price and production increased the already difficult conditions for Guatemala's peasant farmers.

Guatemalan Civil War:

           Understanding the Guatemalan Civil War, which ran from 1960 to 1996, is critical to understanding contemporary politics and social justice movements in Guatemala. The war centered upon a clash between government forces and various leftist rebel groups, but the majority of those killed were civilians. During the conflict, over 200,000 Guatemalans were killed or forcibly disappeared (a UN sponsored report said 83% were indigenous Maya and 93% of the human rights violations were carried out by government forces). The war has roots in violence and ethnic exclusion dating back over 500 years. However, the C.I.A. backed coup d'état in June 1954, which installed a right-wing military dictator, substantially contributed to the outbreak of political violence.

            Two truth commissions examined human rights abuses committed during the civil war and discovered unequivocal evidence that the government had perpetrated genocide against the Mayan people. Despite the efforts of the truth commissions, an ambitious reparations program, and several landmark judgments from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, prosecutions for past (and present) crimes have been obstructed by the lingering influence of former officials implicated in human rights abuses and by the intimidation and corruption of the domestic legal system.

Rigoberta Menchu:
          She was born in north central Guatemala in El Quiche on January 5, 1959 and is currently 55 years old. Rigoberta received a primary education in Catholic schools.  She quit schooling to become an activist who campaigned against human right violations committed by the Guatemalan armed forces during the country's civil war (1960-1969).  Rigoberta has spent her life attempting to have members of the Guatemalan political and military establishment tried in Spain.  It is almost impossible to have these individuals tried in Guatemala because the current government supports the civil war and the actions that were taken during the war. 
          She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 and was recognized again for her work in 1998 by receiving the Prince Asturias Award.  Rigoberta has started many initiative to aid in access to basic civil rights to all. She has become president of the Indian pharmaceutical company Salud para Todos ("Health for All") whose goal is to make low-cost generic medicine available to all.  She is also one of the founders of Nobel Women's Initiative whose goal is to help strengthen work being done around the world for women's rights.  Rigoberta is also a member of Peace Jam whose goal is to empower young leaders.  
          Rigoberta still has a very strong presence in Guatemalan and has have an everlasting impact on the native Mayans lifes.  She has helped formed two new political parties and has participated in the presidential race twice without success.