CHAPINADAS

In the middle of a subtropical forest 15 kilometers away from Sayaxche, Peten; emerges Aguacateca.  Aguacateca is a Mayan city built in the Classic Mayan Period.  It has structures, stelaes, benches and hillocks where there are more Mayan Ruins.  Some of the ruins show charred parts which tell the story of what happened to this place.  Aguacateca received its name because it is located on the shores of the Aguacateca River.  Aguacateca became one of the most important cities of the Early Classic Mayan Period between the years 600 to 700 DC.  This Mayan city was a twin city with Dos Pilas and both of them dominated an ample territory.  Both cities had emblems resembling that of Tikal.

The history of this place has become known thaks to the investigations of archeologist such as Ian Graham in the 60’s, Stephen Houston in the 80’s and Takeshi Inomata in 1993.  Aguacateca was fortified in the VIII century due to wars but despite of its fortification it was taken and reduced to ruins by its enemies.  Many structures were burnt and its inhabitants were expelled.  Because of all this, it is thought that this city had a tragic end.  Visiting Aguacateca is an adventure in itself because it can only be reached by water.

Livingston, in the Guatemalan Caribbean is a place where cultures like Garifuna, kekchies, hindus and white mix to form the culture only seen in Livingston.  Because ot its landscapes, nature, waterfalls, fauna, flora, rivers and beaches, Livingston is known by its inhabitants as a Different Caribbean. 

Livingston is the first Import/Export port founded in Guatemala.  The main import/export product out of this port was Guatemala coffee.  Livingston has different beaches  such as Punta de Palma, Playa Blanca, La Capitania, Playa Barique and Plaza Quehueche.  In every corner of Livingston, it is possible to observe craftmen practicing their craft using natural materials.  Food is also expressed in the garifuna food made with coconut milk, bananas, plantains, native herbs and sea fish.  The Kekchies offerer food made of fish, roots and chicken and turkey.  There are different dances in Livingston, starting with the drums of the caribbean and the dance of the deer from the kekchies. The colorful clothing of the garifunas make a good contrast with the colorful typical clothing of the kekchies.  This tropical paradise also has Mayan ruins in the city of Miramar Livingston.  According to history, Livingston was founded by Marcos Sanches Diaz who brought the first garifuna people between 1802 and 1806.

El sitio arqueologico Tulam Tzu, tambien conocido como El Rosario Naranjo fue declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la nacion en 1970.  Esta lugar consta de varios monticulos que son considerados sagrados por sacerdotes mayas.  El Rosario Naranjo localizado en la zona 4 de Mixco esta a punto de perderse debido a la construccion de unos condominios en el area.  Los sacerdotes Mayas visitaban este lugar con frecuencia para realizar ceremonias pero el ano pasado fueron sorprendidos cuando se empezo a construir esta colonia.  El terreno en donde El Rosario Naranjo se encuentra fue vendido y aparentemente el Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes no pudo prevenir esta venta.  En este lugar, todavia se encuentran vasijas y piedras sagradas que deberian ser rescatadas para que no sigamos perdiendo estos objetos tan valiosos para nuestra cultura.  Algunas de las personas que se encuentran en contra de la construccion de esta colonia tan cerca de los monticulos sagrados aseguran de que el movimiento de tierra que provocaron las maquinas de construccion pudieron haber danano los monticulos y las piezas que aun se encuentran en el lugar. 

Segun el Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, la solucion para el problema es de que tanto la constructura a cargo del proyecto tanto como las personas en contra de el proyecto se pongan de acuerdo en establecer un lugar de acceso a estos monticulos.  Segun algunos de los sacerdotes mayas, lo mas triste es de que varias instituciones del estado han sido avisadas de este y ellos no han recibido ninguna respuesta.  Otra cosa triste es de que en el ano 1989 uno de los monticulos del lugar fue destruido.   Esperemos de que una solucion que beneficia a ambos lados de este conflicto sea encontrada y de que podamos mantener nuestro patrimonio y cultura por medio de estos monticulos y vasijas de este lugar.

The National Park of Laguna del Tigre in San Andres, Peten, has converted itself in an area of great surprises for archeologist. In the last years, many monumental sites, royal tombs, stelae and other important objects have been found in La Corona and Peru-Waka sites. Peru-Waka is located on a hill  64 metres tall.

Since May 18th of this year, a funerary chamber containing shell objets and jade were found. In the same place, a fragment of a stelae was found representing the head of a Mayan. On May 8th, a group of archeologist announced the discovery of a Royal Mayan Tomb dating back to the Early Classic Period. Also, on September 2005, a group of anthropologist announced that in La Corona site was finally identified as the mysterious place knows as "Q".

Peru-Waka is identified because of its 42 stelae sorrounding the place. The ancient name of this site is "Waka". Peru-Waka was an important political and economical center of Mayan civilization during the VII and VIII century because of its size, luxury and geographical position.  Its origins go back to 250 yeas BC.