A Passport to Guatemala’s Mayan Past

A Passport to Guatemala’s Mayan Past

 

You can experience ancient traditions, tastes and architecture in the highland villages and ancient ruins of Guatemala

 

By Polya Lesova in the Wall Street Journal

 

WE WERE ON a motorboat to the past—or so we hoped.

My husband, Paul, and I sat near the bow of the skiff, soaking in the sun and the view as we zipped across Lake Atitlán, in Guatemala’s highlands. Several large volcanoes towered in the distance, seemingly standing guard over the villages scattered along the green shores.

Our destination was Santiago Atitlán, the largest town on the lake and a place to encounter the culture of the Tz’utujil—one of roughly 20 Mayan ethnic groups in Guatemala. As we approached the shore, we saw women in traditional purple-striped blouses, waist deep in the water, washing clothes. We walked from the rickety pier into town, at first seeing little more than stalls where locals were aggressively hawking water bottles and maps. But a left turn took us into Santiago Atitlan’s main plaza, which was crowded on market day. Tz’utujil women, some with children, sat on the ground with their wares spread around them: piles of fruit and vegetables, spices, meat. The women wore huipiles—striking blouses embroidered with birds and flowers. Some men wore traditional purple-and-white-striped pants, also stitched with symbols.

Starting around 1500 B.C., the Maya established one of the dominant civilizations in Mesoamerica. At its height, the empire stretched from southern Mexico to parts of Honduras and El Salvador, with its center in present-day Guatemala. Skilled at agriculture, astronomy and mathematics, the Maya built stepped stone temples, palaces, cities that held tens of thousands of residents. But for reasons that are not understood, their civilization went into decline even before Spanish conquistadors arrived in the early 16th century; urban centers were abandoned to the jungle and many traditions vanished.

But not all. The Maya managed to preserve some of their culture, particularly in Guatemala’s western highlands, which extend from the colonial capital of Antigua Guatemala to the Mexican border. Earlier this year, Paul and I tried to experience as much of that as possible over a one-week trip, exploring one of the most important ancient sites (now sprawling ruins), as well as communities like Santiago Atitlán.

We started in Antigua Guatemala, a 16th-century town just 20 miles from Guatemala City, the modern capital. We spent hours walking the cobblestone streets and taking in the colorful and sometimes ornate colonial architecture. At Jades Imperio Maya, we browsed jewelry made from jade—a prized commodity and good-luck symbol for the ancient Maya, who used it for ornamentation and ceremonial masks. In a workshop at the back of the store, craftsmen shaped stone into objects such as the ring I bought.

For a literal taste of Mayan culture, we took a two-hour class at El Frijol Feliz, a cooking school near Antigua’s central plaza. The instructor spoke only Spanish, so we didn’t understand everything she said, but she taught us how to make pepian, a traditional stew, by boiling pieces of bone-in chicken, then adding chayote (a vegetable similar to squash), roasted chilies, onions, garlic, tomatoes, pumpkin and sesame seeds. Rice with vegetables, refried black beans and rellenitos—plantain dumplings filled with black beans and chocolate—were also on the menu. Many of the ingredients we used, such as corn, beans and chilies, have been staples of the Mayan diet for generations. Corn, in particular, which we made into fresh, light tortillas, was sacred: The Mayan creation story has it that the first humans were made of it.

Antigua was shaped by Spanish as well as Mayan influences; we found a much stronger indigenous identity around Lake Atitlán. We started by driving to Panajachel, a town on the north shore that many tourists use as a base. We took a boat to the village of Santa Cruz la Laguna, then set out on a guided six-mile hike through several Mayan villages. Walking a ridgeline trail that offered views of the volcanoes on the south side of the lake, we were in high spirits. The sun shimmered on the water. Our guide pointed out various plants: an avocado tree, dragon fruit, bougainvillea.

Jaibalito and Tzununa, the first two towns we passed through, were sleepy hamlets in which life didn’t seem easy. Children played in the streets, women in traditional dress carried large baskets on their backs, chickens milled about. Most buildings were simple wooden and stone structures. Between the towns, we glimpsed villas and a hotel or two. By the time we reached San Marcos la Laguna, which is known for its meditation and yoga centers, we were exhausted. The lake seemed much more turbulent than it had that morning, but a boat was the only way to get back other than walking. I steeled myself for a bumpy ride—which we got. “You came to Guatemala for adventure, right?” another passenger said.

‘The women wore huipiles—striking blouses embroidered with birds and flowers.’

After our day trip to Santiago Atitlan, we traveled north to Flores, a town on an island on Lake Peten Itza that is a gateway to Tikal, the remains of a city that dates to the sixth century B.C. Now a national park, Tikal encompasses roughly 85 square miles of rain forest, according to Unesco, and includes the ruins of large temples and some 3,000 other buildings. Through our hotel in Flores, we booked a tour with an English-speaking guide, who led us around the site for four hours. Much of Tikal is covered in thick vegetation. When we came to a clearing and saw our first pyramid, I gasped. A steep climb to the top rewarded us with a beautiful view of the jungle.

Our guide, Manuel, described Tikal’s history along the way—its wars with rival communities like Caracol in Belize and Calakmul in Mexico, and its rulers with fanciful names like Ah Cacao. The Maya built an incredibly advanced civilization, but some of their customs were chilling; bloodletting and human sacrifice played an important role in their rituals, the guide told us. He avoided the main paths, instead taking us on circuitous trails through the jungle so he could save some key areas, such as the ceremonial center known as the Gran Plaza, for last. He knew the best vantage points and showed us countless mounds that remained unexcavated. We spotted monkeys, bats, a huge ant colony and various exotic plants; Manuel had seen jaguars on previous visits, but we had no such luck.

We eventually ascended Templo IV, a blocky structure that is the highest in Tikal. The jungle spread before us as far as we could see. In the distance, the tops of three other temples jutted into the sky—a testament to the tenacity of the past.

Getting There: Several airlines fly nonstop from the U.S. to Guatemala City. Many travel agencies, including Antigua Tours by Elizabeth Bell ( antiguatours.net), offer transportation to such destinations as Antigua Guatemala and Panajachel. Avianca Aerovias and TAG Airlines fly from Guatemala City to Flores, the gateway to Tikal.

Staying There:In the heart of Antigua Guatemala, the 110-room Porta Antigua offers comfortable accommodations and has gardens, a spa and an outdoor pool (from about $200 a night, portahotels.com). Hotel Atitlán, on the shores of Lake Atitlán, could use an update, but the grounds are beautifully landscaped (from about $155 a night, hotelatitlan.com). The town of Flores, an hour’s drive away from Tikal, has a number of no-frills hotels. La Lancha, film director Francis Ford Coppola’s lodge, is a more luxurious option off in the rain forest, about a 45-minute drive from Tikal (from about $129 a night, www.coppolaresorts.com).

Eating There: Posada de Don Rodrigo in Antigua Guatemala serves traditional food in a courtyard filled with flowers ( posadadedonrodrigo.com). The restaurant at Hotel Atitlan in Panajachel dishes up pepian—a chicken stew—and good fish tacos.

Other Activities: Cooking classes at El Frijol Feliz can be booked with or without a visit to Antigua Guatemala’s market (from $45 a person, frijolfeliz.com).

Safety: Guatemala has a relatively high crime rate, so don’t flaunt money, gadgets or jewelry, and avoid traveling at night. Arrange transportation between cities via your hotel or travel agency.