CHAPINADAS

Neighbors and authorities of the cerro Lacandon, which is a group of virgin mountains, are seeking to convert the Lacandon Mountains in an ecoturistic destination.  The Lacandon Mountains is a jungle that contains a great deal of flora where it forms a habitat for different animals such as deer, wild turkeys and The Quetzal.  The inhabitants of the place are trying to sell this place as a ecoturistic destination based on the contact with such animals and the awesome cataract of almost 600 meters high.  Neighbors coincide that there are many things to show turists about the place because the area possesses many micro weathers and a zone of organic coffee production.

The design of the popular Giant kites shown for the Dia de Todos los Santos in Santiago, Sacatepequez was started in July by all the different groups participating in this Guatemalan Tradition.  In the making of these kites, people from different ages and social standings help.  These kites have geometric designs forming figures and messages in the different colourful papers used so that the paper can be added to the structure made of bambu.

This year, the designs are focusing mostly in de Peace accord.  15 groups are ready to participate in this tradition.  The giant kites vary in sizes up to 15 meters even if kites over 5 meters will not be able to fly because of their weight.

According to tradition, these giant kites are flown to scare the bad spirits so that the deceased people can enjoy the different altars placed in their tombs.  It is also believed that the kites help communicate between the living and the death.  It is also believed that this tradition started between 1890 and 1900.  Most people participating in this tradition, do it to keep the tradition but also as a means to express the national reality and the situacion of the Indian People.

Estaba leyendo con mucha tristeza acerca de la situacion de delincuencia en mi querida tierra de Chiquimula.  Estoy conciente de que los tiempos cambian y tambien las situaciones de las personas.  Podria decir de que cuando yo estaba en la Perla de Oriente, estas situaciones no se veian mucho.  Esperemos de que esta situacion se resuelva, ya sea por medio de organizacions de habitantes de la ciudad o por medio de las autoridades a cargo de la seguridad publica.  Uno de los efectos que trae el crecimiento de una ciudad, es el aumento de la poblacion.  Una posible solucion es de que los comerciantes se unan y contraten gente para la proteccion de los negocios y presionar para que las autoridad provean proteccion a la gente y asi tener seguridad en las actividades diarias de cada habitante.

25 thousand pieces, some of them abandoned for more than 30 years have just been rescued from the warehouses of the National Museum of Archeology and Etnology.  These pieces will be relocated to an adequate area for warehousing and conservation.

During several decades these archeological pieces where left one on top of the other without protection against humidity.  It is not yet known the damage caused by fungus and other bacteria.  According to experts, these pieces will go to a phase of conservation where they will be studied so that any damage caused will be repaired.  The warehouse of this museum contained up 20,000 archeological pieces and 5,000 etnological pieces.  Because of the fear of loosing these invaluable pieces in the form of vases, stelaes, sculptures and textiles the museum authorities asked for support from other countries.  The Government of Japan responded inmediately and donated a big amount of aid to improve the infraestructure.

Thankfully, the improvement of the warehouse began last december and concluded yesterday.  Special equipment was installed for controlling humidity and temperature and also all the pieces were clasified to be stored in special containers.  The Government of Japan also provided tecnical assistance for conserving our cultural patrimony.

The Minister of Culture said that these pieces will be shown in the Museum of Archeology and also will be shown in exhibitions in the deparments of Guatemala.  Let us hope that now that these pieces are exhibited, we, as Guatemalan can see and appreciate them as they deserve.   

Guatemalan rowers, Oscar Maeda and Juan Carlos Guevara are one step closer to qualify for the final in the Rowing World Cup in Eton, England.  Maeda and Guevara, won the gold medal in the Centroamerican and Caribbean Games.  They qualified for the semifinals yesterday after getting second place in their group.  Maeda and Guevara will compete in the semifinal today and if they finish within the first six places out of 12 crews will qualify for the final "A".  Maeda and Guevara have been the best latinoamerican competitors in the World rowing Championship.

Here is a picture of the activity in Pacaya volcano during night time.

The magma explotions in the Pacaya Volcano in Escuintla, Guatemala  are a big draw for turism in the area.  The Pacaya volcano located at 60 km. of the capital city of Guatemala is attracting a large number of turists to the area.  Inhabitants of places close to the volcano say that this spectacle constitutes a danger to them because they have to suffer due to the effects of this natural occurence.  Organizations in charge of acting when this disasters occcurs are in high state of alert due to the possible consequences to inhabited places close to this volcano.

With its French architecture of the XIX century, the Municipal Theatre of Huehuetenango was finished in 1914.  It is one of the few cultural legacies left in Huehuetenango.  It was constructed in between two schools and that is way it has been always known as a School Theatre.  For the design of this theatre, Jorge Estrada Cabrera, who was the president at the time, asked his French Embasador for designs and pictures of French Art. This theatre has capacity for 500 people in three different areas.  This theatre has a lot of history because in its premises have appeared a great number of national figures.  Paco Perez, author of Luna de Xelaju appeared when he was 10 years old.  During the 70’s the theatre fall in desrepair but during the 80’s was restored.

The Guatemalan Institute of Turism is expecting an estimated 65000 turists during the month of August in Tikal, Antigua Guatemala, Panajachel and the different Recreational centers for the government employees.  People in the turism industry have been making preparations for the past 3 weeks to have these places ready.  The main reason for this increase in turism for this month is due to the fact that in Europe, the holidays for the middle of the year are starting.  Peten, also offers other places to visit such as Yaxha, Uaxactun, Aguacateca, El Ceibal and Dos Pilas. 

In the Peten region, it is expected that the month of august will generate around 10 million in the turism industry.  According to people in the hotel industry, around 80 percent of the spaces are reserved.  Peten authorities have an strategic plan of security for the region to protect the turists.

In Antigua Guatemala, the turism industry is also expecting many visitors.  In the first 15 days of august there is always an increase in the demand for available spaces in the hotels. 

Of the 65000 turists expected, it is estimated that 20000 will come for Europe, 24000 from other latin countries and 21000 guatemalan residing outside Guatemala. 

A big part of Guatemala’s archeological patrimony is unprotected due to the lack of resources to protect it and conserve it.  The government, in an effort to solve this situation is making alliances with inhabitants of the nearby areas to protect this places which are a legacy to all Guatemalan people and the world.  According to the Ministry of Culture, Peten has around 4,000 archeological sites.  A majority of these sites have not been properly investigated.

Of all this sites, 46 are protected and opened to the public and 400 receive some kind of supervision by the Archeology and History Institute but not enough to protect them against thieves.  According to investigations done by the environmental organization Tropico Verde, the majority of the archeological sites in the Laguna del Tigre Park in Peten have lost around 70 percent of its pieces and other small artifacts. The majority of security for these sites are contracted by international organizations that finance investigative projects in Guatemala. 

To avoid this kind of damage, the Ministry of Culture is pushing for a plan to involve all the communities nearby in the protection of this invaluable Mayan remains.  This communities are being taught how to make miniature archeological pieces and also to provide turistic services which eventually will permite this communities to obtain economical benefits in exchange for taking care of this areas.  Peten has around 35,000 square kilometers of archeological sites but only 13,000 square kilometers have been investigated and the rest is still underground or undiscovered.