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| Mayan community preparing for 2012 Solstice sacred Fire Ceremony - San Pedro de la laguna |
Welcome to my still photo documentary of my visit to Guatemala during the 2012 Winter Solstice.
Such a remarkable experience meeting the Maya people in the village of San Pedro - an experience like no other...a different world. Because i know the images speak for themselves with feelings over words, i will simply explain the highlights of the trip -- allowing an immersion into the culture as best i was able - experiencing the amazing Heart of a people who, materially, have so little...yet so kind and open-hearted!
Experiencing the Solstice sacred Fire Ceremony and the amazing and rich Maya-cosmo-vision that is awakening in this community - a vision of compassion and caring for each other; working through deep wounds and injuries; understanding life purpose and inner and outer meaning of each day; doing one's own part in caring for the environment--bodies of water, land, animals and air; integrating a spiritual perspective in daily life....
Mayan fire ceremonies are elaborate and moving - lasting anywhere from 3-4 hours. Sacred symbolism. Similar to other indigenous cultures - deep reverence to Nature and Spirit.
Another pivotal aspect of my visit was connecting with the heart of Taa 'Pit... Taa 'Pit Kortees, the Center for Intercultural Learning Tz'utujil Mayan - reintroducing/restoring their 'disappearing' culture and language back to the children and their families--is unique, founded by Maya, nonprofit, in the highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan, San Pedro la Laguna.
you can visit their website, just below... by pasting into your browser.....
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.taapit.org/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtaa%2Bpit%26hl%3Den%26c
The trip was dreamed, birthed and offered through Compassionate Listening Project - creating the program and making all the arrangements for our remarkable event experiences, beautiful lodging, dining, and meeting Maya people of the community.
In my photo images, you will see the preparation of the Sacred Fire Ceremonies; the children of Taa'Pit and those working hard to bring the Mayan culture & their native language back to the children and their families; may you enjoy the beauty of this magical place... and feel the Heart of these remarkable people.
I think you'd very much like to see this brief video- of 2 minutes:
http://vimeo.com/52769887
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| Hotel Antigua in Guatemala |
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| Rooftop in Antigua Guatemala |
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| Selling wares in the market - Antigua Guatemala |
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| Old Ruins in Antigua |
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| Antigua Guatemala |
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| Street in Antigua |
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| Field off the roadway heading to San Pedro |
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| View of Lake Atitlan atop the mountain - see San Pedro at base in distance |
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| A white egret? or crane or heron ? at Lake Atitlan - San Pedro |
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| See how Bananas grow - and the long hanging maroon colored thing hanging below |
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| Sunrise in San Pedro and Lake Atitlan |
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| Hotel facing the Lake - my room is bottom floor, second from right |
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| Street in San Pedro |
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| View from Home Restaurant - San Pedro |
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| On the road to San Pedro - bags of coffee beans lining the street |
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| old looking building in Antigua |
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| Blankets hanging - San Pedro |
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| At dawn arriving at San Marcos for Solstice Sacred Fire Ceremony |
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| Atop of mountain, looking across Lake Atitlan at dawn - fire ceremony soon to begin |
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| Fire pit to be prepared - see dark objects on ground just to right - and musicians |
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| Daykeeper preparing firepit in a sacred way- (after cleaning) beginning with the sacred 4 Directions |
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| large round pine sap balls are added |
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| Sacred Four Directions |
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| Adding the large round pine sap balls in building the sacred fire |
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| Elements for building the sacred fire - round ball of pine sap |
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| Chocolate and kindling added |
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| White candles are handed to Daykeeper - 4 colors for each Direction |
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| Beans and rice are added to sacred fire |
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| 4 colors of candles are utilized in sacred fire |
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| Mayan musicians at fire ceremony |
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| Kindling being lit with sacred fire and prayer - the actual Fire ceremony is not permitted to be photographed |
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| Lush vegetation in San Pedro |
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| Children of San Marcos |
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| Calle in San Pedro |
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| Tuk-Tuks in San Marcos |
Canal in San Pedro - Santiago dock
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| Hotel reception area in San Pedro |
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| Lush vegetation - San Pedro |
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| Narrow 'calles' in San Pedro |
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| Home Restaurant in San Pedro |
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| Mother & son who is student at Taa' pit - school reinvigorating Mayan children back to their beautiful culture |
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| Children at Taa'pit learning about computers |
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| Taa'Pi't School reviving Mayan culture for Mayan children |
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| Taa'Pit school operating on a shoe-string budget |
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| Children of Taa'Pit learning about protecting environment & their Lake |
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| on the walk to my hotel room |
Solstice eve in San Pedro village- Children in the streets with sparklers
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| Sunset on Lake Atitlan - San Pedro |
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| San Pedro Community Solstice Fire Ceremony preparation - preparing flower petals |
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| San Pedro Mayan community preparation for Solstice Sacred Fire ceremony |
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| San Pedro Mayan community preparing flower petals for sacred fire |
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| quietly coming together for preparing the sacred fire for solstice |
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| Beautiful, devout women in their traditional San Pedro shawls |
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| Preparing ingredients for sacred Fire Ceremony - for Solstice |
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| Multi-colored candles representing each Direction to burn in the sacred fire |
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| Candle colors of 4 Directions - see fire pit prep in background |
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| Spirit Water |
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| Candles and other sacred ingredients for the fire ceremony |
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Daykeeper preparing for sacred fire |
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| enhanced fire pit and community participants |
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| Mayan families of San Pedro participating in sacred Ceremony |
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| Mayan family |
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| Daykeepers of sacred fire ceremony |
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| Daykeeper of sacred fire ceremony |
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| Sacred fire at end of ceremony |
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| San Pedro - garden in foreground - houses behind |
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| view of Lake Atitlan from my room |
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| butte, above, is location for San Pedro fire ceremony |
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| yard just in front of my room - looking out to Lake Atitlan |
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| three dogs napping on a step along the roadside |
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| Maria, scarf-weaver in San Pedro |
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| Gathering of Mayan families & students of Taa'pit |
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| 17-year-old interpreter |
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| Home visit of Mayan family - three generations of women |
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| Middle woman, age 97, she's in the photo (years earlier) above her head in the blue skirt with her husband |
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| The son of the 97 year old woman - in kitchen area |
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| Washing the corn to be prepared to make tortillas |
The whole corn is now put into a crusher
The corn is crushed and falls into the bottom bin as dough
Here the woman is carrying the corn dough - the corn that
had been crushed
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| stove with live wood burning fire |
Rolling out the corn tortilla dough
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| kitchen area |
corn tortilla - hand made
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| sleeping areas behind the curtains |
Kitchen area
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| This lovely man is holding photographs of my grandmothers |
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| This appears to be at least four generations of women |
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| This woman holds a snow globe from seattle. The curious little boy later dropped it on the cement floor. |
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| Young girl selling fruit at front door |
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| Market in San Pedro |
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| Highway buses - not for use in the village |
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| Teacher of Taa'pit and her 12 y.o. student |
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| Strong supporter (left) and Founder of Taa'Pit |
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| San Juan hand-made weaving - shawls |
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| Demonstration of yarn-dying |
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| Mayan spirit image/mural on a wall in San Juan |
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| Religious procession in the street - San Juan |
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| our wonderful grilled chicken prepared for lunch - San Juan |
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| Mural in San Juan capturing reverence for Nature |
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| Artist by his mural depicting Mayan bone healer |
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| Mayan fisherman |
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| Symbolic Mural in San Juan depicting Maya community |
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| Mural in San Juan on a building wall |
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Street in San Juan - neighboring San Pedro
my room in San Pedro
work party at Taa'Pit school | | | |
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Symbolic art work representations for the students
Painted wood carving - related to Nature & Environment
.JPG) |
| owner and the chef at La Puerta |
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La Puerta Restaurant - lovely entrance & cabana
Coffee cups steps - La Puerta Restaurant
Sweet Isabel at La Puerta
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| Idea Connection Internet Cafe |
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Street of La Puerta, Internet Cafe and hotel
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| local tienda |
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selling beans, rice... their staples
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| Calle in San Pedro ... No CARS ! :) |
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| Walkway to my hotel by the Lake |
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| Looking east toward volcano |
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| Juan Martin, Deborah and Juan Manuel - the heart of Taa'Pit |
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| Leaving San Pedro heading toward San Juan and over the mountain |
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| heading over the mountains back to Antigua | | | | | | | | |
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| up in the clouds traveling back over the mountains |
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| van shuttle between Antigua & San Pedro - i sat shotgun w/ the big guy |
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| streets of Antigua - you can feel the difference |
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| memory of sunset on Lake Atitlan from my hotel | | | | | | | | | | |
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| memory of full moon rising on Lake Atitlan - San Pedro de laguna | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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A most welcome invitations to your comments and questions on this photo documentary.
Thank you for visiting. Please do share the the link to this blog with others who may
find the material interesting. ~ Nancy B.
The corn is crushed and falls into the bottom bin as dough
corn tortilla - hand made 
.JPG)
This was wonderful. What a wealth of impressions! Thank you so much for sharing this on your blog site. You're right, it is a whole other world!
ReplyDeleteWith love,
N
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteWow! You were able to document the steps of the fire circle building from the first fire. I wrote notes, but you got the sequence, photos, and flow.
I can see how you've provided an introduction for people who might know nothing about Mayan culture and Lake Atitlan. Thanks for making your still show available for us to share with others.
Well-being to you,
S
remarkably, I have been drawn to the Mayan people all my life. Also the Inca culture. I had the opportunity to travel to Machu Pitchu recently and I was transformed by the Inca women and the spirit of their deep rich culture.... K.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the time you spent putting words and photos together!
ReplyDeleteL
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for sharing this. I will sit a spell and enjoy your photos
and the energy they bring to me.
What a blessing for you to share this experience with me and others. I am happy for you that you were able to do this, wow.
A warm and happy new year to you - new era.
love and warmth,
C
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to sharing these photos. I also posted it to Twitter (I have 2,226 followers).
Though I enjoyed every one- especially the lake and sunsets, my favorite was of the "lovely man holding photos" of your two grandmothers!