VILLAGES OF THE LAKE

THE VILLAGES OF THE LAKE

The art and crafts come primarily from the towns of San Pedro La Laguna, Santiago Atitlan and San Juan La Laguna. These are all Tz-utujil speaking Mayan towns. There are more than a dozen towns and villages around the lake representing three Mayan groups and languages (Tz’utujil, Kaqchikel and K’iche). Each has their own distinct dress, crafts and characteristics. Not long ago all the buildings were simple adobe, there was no electricity, only footpaths connected the towns and dugout canoes (cayucos) were the primary mode of transportation. Smaller cayucos are still used for fishing and gathering reeds.

These villages, like all of the Mayan communities in Guatemala, were deeply impacted by the “Civil War” and the scars and trauma of war continue to this day. Corruption, repression and exploitation are also rampant throughout Guatemala and are a major barrier development. After the civil war, an influx of NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) brought in many resources and positive changes such as helping communities form cooperatives for a variety of their enterprises including weaving, art and coffee growing which are now important to the economy and internationally known. Tourism has now become the primary economic base and the new challenge for many of the communities is how to preserve their way of life in the face of the influence and pressure of modern “western” culture.

 SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA

San Juan La Laguna is a small Tz’utujil Mayan town of about 5,000 residents nestled in a cove on a hill at the south west end of Lake Atitlan. A 2,000 foot high ridge and the “Rostro Maya” (Face of the Maya) mountain form the backdrop. A patchwork of fields along the fertile shores produces a variety of crops such as tomatoes and onions. Corn, the basic staple and spiritual origin of the Mayan people, is grown in the valley behind the town and the slopes of the mountains have more recently been planted with coffee which has become one of the major crops.

A typical street in San Juan with the "Rostro Maya" in the background

San Juan has remained one of the more traditional towns on the lake in the face of ever increasing tourism. The women and some of the men still wear the traditional clothing and have been careful to protect their traditional way of life from the material and cultural impact of tourism. Wonderful and colorful murals depicting the town’s history, traditional culture and the Mayan cosmovision are found on the walls of buildings throughout the town. San Juan has the highest concentration of cooperative enterprises and is one of the towns with the most renowned artists and weavers.

During the Semana Santa festival, “Alfombras” (carpets) are created from colored sawdust, plants and vegetables along the streets of the town and then destroyed later in the night as a procession of the Virgin Mary and Jesus pass over them.  Creating the alfombras is a community event done solely for the joy of making beauty and celebrating their traditions that blend both ancient Mayan customs and the Christian ones they adopted.  

 SAN PEDRO LA LAGUNA

San Pedro La Laguna is the close neighboring town to San Juan and yet is a very different place. It has a population of about 15,000 with densely packed buildings and a maze of alleys. Although still a traditional Mayan town, it also has an active expat community and is more “modern” in its attitude than San Juan. The people are incredibly gracious and open and San Pedro has a large and vibrant Mercado (market place) where one can buy fresh produce, fish and meat and other items such as baskets, hand made wooden tables, shoes, and kitchen ware. Vulcan San Pedro is a powerful presence rising over 5,000 feet behind the village. Like San Juan small vegetable plots border the lake and corn and coffee fields rise up into the hills and along the slopes of the volcano.

San Pedro is also well known for its artists and is the town where the art naïf style originated. Artistic expression is important in San Pedro and there are a number of powerful murals that address some of the political, social, economic and environmental issues that are impacting the town and Guatemala. It is also renowned for its numerous excellent and affordable Spanish schools and there are several locally initiated and run organizations such as Ayudame a Pintar Mi Futuro dedicated to education, arts and the preservation of the Mayan culture and way of life.  

SANTIAGO ATITLAN

 Santiago Atitlan is the biggest town on the lake with a population of over 50,000 people. It is situated at the base of the largest volcano on the lake, Vulcan Santiago. It suffered some of the worst atrocities of the war including massacres and torture of its citizens and the assassination of its Catholic priest who would not back down from standing up for the rights of the indigenous people he loved. He continues to be remembered fondly and as a martyr. Santiago has grown dramatically over the last 20 years and is now more a city than a town. It is also a Tz-utujil speaking town and the women wear fabulous clothes with elaborate bird designs. Santiago is known for its incredible bead work and also has some very talented wood carvers.