Sunday, May 13, 2007
Ahh, the confrontation between Nueva and Antigua Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan makes more sense now, thanks to a discussion with my hostess, Martina. Nueva SCI was built on land purchased for the new planned community by the government. But the lands around it are still held by the neighboring Municipality.
Now, remember that personally raising corn to feed the family is a sacred obligation of the Maya head of household. For this reason, the transplanted families still retain their milpas in the old community, even though it is a 2 hour hike (or a shorter pickup ride, but that costs 5 Quetzales) each way. However, arable land is precious, and since the folk who stayed in the old community have strong negative feelings about those who left anyway, their continued us of the land around the old community rankles.
So, if they really do establish an Indigenous Municipality, they will be able to apply local custom (for which, read their own) to ownership of the milpas. So this also comes down to a land dispute, another one that will not be easily resolved.
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I have been reading a fascinating book. The Ginger Tree is the story of a Scotch woman who marries a British military attache and heads to China right after the Boxer Rebellion, in 1902. It is the story of her experiences - and misfortunes - in China and later Japan between than and 1942. It is written as her Journal entries and letters to friends - very much like reading a blog, but more intimate and revealing.
Because she is taken out of her element, and slowly learns to survive, more or less, in two very different cultures, it all has some special resonance for me. At one point the book says I was like a world traveller trying to move around with a heavy trunk stuffed with my own past, and it was about time I learned that all any of us need is a very light suitcase. This, as I am trying to deal with what I am going to do with the boxes of photo albums, kitchen utensils, knick-knacks, CDs and art stuff that I made the mistake of carrying to Guatemala. But I don't want to lose these parts of my past, they record so much of who I am/was.
Hmmm.
I am in Xela again today (Sunday), as I really don't much enjoy down time in my little village. Xela is big enough to have the surprises that go with cities. Today there was a delightful exhibition of dancing by little girls, students of a Xela dancing school, in front of the Municipal Building. Not very polished, but fun, in its innocense and exuberance.
With Mothers selling food and snacks to support their ballerinas.
Now, remember that personally raising corn to feed the family is a sacred obligation of the Maya head of household. For this reason, the transplanted families still retain their milpas in the old community, even though it is a 2 hour hike (or a shorter pickup ride, but that costs 5 Quetzales) each way. However, arable land is precious, and since the folk who stayed in the old community have strong negative feelings about those who left anyway, their continued us of the land around the old community rankles.
So, if they really do establish an Indigenous Municipality, they will be able to apply local custom (for which, read their own) to ownership of the milpas. So this also comes down to a land dispute, another one that will not be easily resolved.
####
I have been reading a fascinating book. The Ginger Tree is the story of a Scotch woman who marries a British military attache and heads to China right after the Boxer Rebellion, in 1902. It is the story of her experiences - and misfortunes - in China and later Japan between than and 1942. It is written as her Journal entries and letters to friends - very much like reading a blog, but more intimate and revealing.
Because she is taken out of her element, and slowly learns to survive, more or less, in two very different cultures, it all has some special resonance for me. At one point the book says I was like a world traveller trying to move around with a heavy trunk stuffed with my own past, and it was about time I learned that all any of us need is a very light suitcase. This, as I am trying to deal with what I am going to do with the boxes of photo albums, kitchen utensils, knick-knacks, CDs and art stuff that I made the mistake of carrying to Guatemala. But I don't want to lose these parts of my past, they record so much of who I am/was.
Hmmm.
I am in Xela again today (Sunday), as I really don't much enjoy down time in my little village. Xela is big enough to have the surprises that go with cities. Today there was a delightful exhibition of dancing by little girls, students of a Xela dancing school, in front of the Municipal Building. Not very polished, but fun, in its innocense and exuberance.
With Mothers selling food and snacks to support their ballerinas.
