GUATEMALA
wanderlust.co.uk September 2019 87onemoresurpriseforus.Faroffinthedistance,
Fuegoboomedlikedthunderandbeganitsnightly
displayoflavapyrotechnics.
Weavingatale
Schoolwasoutandsomechildrencametoplay
aroundthecampsite.Theboysspottedmycamera
anddemandedaportrait,whilethegirls–dressed
intraditionalhuipils(blouses)andwraparoundcorte
skirtsfastenedwithwovenbelts–weremore
interestedinthetentsandthesoftnessofthebeds.
Thecampbordersoneofthecountry’spoorest
communities:agriculturalworkerswholivewithout
electricityorrunningwater.Rentingtheirlandfor
thecampsiteandworkingascampstaffandlocal
guidesgivesthemmuch-neededextraincometo
spendonmedicineandschoolsupplies.
Itwasalreadydarkandtwoone-roomevangelical
churches,eachwithanoutsizedsoundsystem,were
competingtospreadthewordwhenThelmaarrived
toshowushowtomakecorntortillas,astapleofthe
Guatemalandiet.Sheputaclayplatteronthefire,
pattedballsofdoughbetweenherhandsandcreated
aperfectlyroundtortilla.Ourattemptswereless
successful–thick,misshapenbutequallytastywhen
pairedwiththatevening’spepián,arichspicystew.
Thefollowingmorningwefiledalongdusty
pre-colonialpathwaysandthroughfieldslittered
withtheskeletalhusksofharvestedcornand
regimentedwithrowsofsnowpeas.Peopleworked
theirplotswithbasichoeswhileIstoodbackto
letanoldmanpass;herandownhillinacloud
ofdustandcarryingapileoflogsonhisback
thatwasalmostastallashewas.
Windingupanarrowridgetothehighestpartof
thetrek,wherecropsmetcloudforest,westopped
togazeoverthedistantPacificslopesandthesix
volcanoesthatmaterialiseoncleardays.After
stoppingforlunchonagrassyplateaubackedby
whisperingcypresses,wedescendedbetween
forestedpeaksandtoweringsugarcane.
Thateveningwevisitedawomen’sweaving
cooperativeinanearbyvillage.Threegenerations
ofthesamefamilyweremakinghuipils;somewere
kneelingatbackstraplooms,deftlypassingthe
shuttlethroughacomplexmeshofthreads,others
wereembroideringflowers,aMayasymbolof
fertility,orspinningyarn.Thesearen’tsomuch
piecesofclothingasapartofeachcommunity’s
identity,withthecoloursandage-oldsymbols
inspiredbynature.Noraretheymadeinahurry.
“Complexhuipilscantakeuptofourmonthsto
make,”explainedthegrandmother,who’dbeen
weavingfor 40 yearsandcouldstillkneelallday.
Communityspirits
Thefinallegofthetrekbroughtaknee-challenging
descentintotheMadreViejarivervalley.Wewalked
alongtwistingnarrowtracksthatcutthrough
apatchworkoffields,stoppingtogreetanelderly
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‘Far off in the distance, Fuego
boomed liked thunder and began its
nightly display of lava pyrotechnics’
Mountain high
(bottom to top) The
views over Fuego and
Acatenango volcanoes;
hiking the forest on the
third day of the trek