7/8 -- Explore Lake Atitlan

Today we cruised across Lake Atitlan to Santiago Atitlan, explored that city, then took the boat to San Antonio Palopo, where we had lunch. We bused back to Pana and then Jim and I took a side trip to visit our good friend Francia before rejoining the group for dinner.

Lake Atitlan is similar to Lake Tahoe in size and clarity, only it has three main volcanoes. In addition to the two volcanoes you can see in the picture below, there is another off to the right and the Mayas tend to put their cooking stones in the same pattern. The belt in the Orion constellation also has three stars and this figures in their myths. Santiago is in a little bay to the right of the volcano.

The early morning ride was very calm and we got to see some local fishing boats as we approached Santiago. There is also a sunken Maya village in this area, about 20-60 feet down, which suggests the lake is a lot deeper now than it was maybe a thousand years ago.

Santiago, like all of the surrounding communities, is built into the side of the hill. We walked up a California-style steep hill on our way to our first destination. On the way, we passed a small coffee grove shaded by avocado trees and an interesting juxtaposition  of modern and traditional dwellings. 

 The weaving cooperative we visited is where 25 families work on centrally located looms to produce original Mayan style designs. Some of the designs were dictated by the local landowners who wanted to see at a glance which workers belonged to them, and people were only allowed to marry within this worker group. This restriction changed in the 80s, and now designs are made blending the designs of the villages when people marry between villages. It is also possible to create a new design for a wedding or another special event.

They showed us how colored strands of cotton have strings of different lengths tied on to them to make the design. Then these strands are dyed the same color as the background fabric and the strings removed to produce sort of a tie-dye effect. Women's blouses are made as rectangles with a head hole and designs either sewn or embroidered around the neck and are full of symbolism. After it is purchased, the buyer sews up the side and arm seams to fit her. The bottom is unfinished and tucked into the skirt. Men's pants are capri length with embroidery on the legs and the top is also unfinished.

Luis (right) and our host who explains weaving. On the rope in
back is a dark-colored skirt. They are a standard width (6 feet)
and length without seams. The length adjusts by folding over
the top and the width wraps around, held in place by a belt.

This is the colored fabric with strings (the loose ends you see
are left after the rest is tied) that is dyed to make the pattern.

This design represents life at Lake Atitlan. The 3 triangles
on each side represent the 3 volcanoes and their reflection
in the lake. The dark red section is the lake and the color
represents the blood of life. The woman's head in the center
shows she is the center of life. The little colored circles
around the lake show that people come in all colors.

One of our fellow travelers, Sharon, models
the traditional dress. The skirt is held on with
a long woven belt, which has decorations on the
end you can see.The hat is a very  long coil
 of fabric that lays flat and is pushed up when
on the head to make it look more hat-like. Color
coordination is irrelevant -- you wear colors
you like now that the village pattern is no
longer dictated.

Men's pants

One of the looms. There are over 3000 strands of the dark yarn.
The count is precise. If you are off by even one, the design will
not work.

After we finished at the cooperative, we went to visit a local 'saint' called Maximon (pronounced 'Mosh - ee- mon'). We were not allowed to take pictures here. Maximon is seen by some as another version of Jesus, sort of. Legend has it that he got his arms chopped off by an angry husband who didn't like him romancing the man's wife. He is a short clay figure, dressed in a suit, and wearing one or more cowboy hats and many scarves. When the priests abandoned the local church in the 1880s, Maximon was  moved in, near the front door. People would come to petition him for blessings and give him cigars and rum to win his favor. He has a hole where is mouth is to allow him to smoke a cigar and drink rum. In 1957, a priest came again to the church and was angered by what he saw, so he threw Maximon out the door. The local Maya retaliated by throwing the  priest out the same door.

Maximon is now moved between 19 homes of wise men for a year at a time, when he takes over the living room. The man chosen each year drops his former work to concentrate on administering to people who come to Maximon for help. This year's host is one of the youngest and a descendant of a royal family. He held a ceremony for us in which he blessed our trip and all of our relatives. Following that, we went to the church which had been Maximon's home for so many years.Luis showed us the altar and the Maximon symbology on one side with similar Christian symbology on the right. He also said there are a number of new members from out of the area who want to eliminate that altar in favor of a more orthodox one, but apparently they are losing that battle.

The home church of Maximon for many years.

The altar with dual symbology.

By the time we took the boat to San Antonio, the wind had picked up quite a bit and our ride was lots more choppy, but still fun. Once we got back to Pana, Francia had a tuk-tuk waiting to take us to her home, which turned out to be quite near the bridge where we turned around, lost, yesterday.

The hotel finally figured out what had happened to our key: we were in 504, they gave it to someone else for 405. When it didn't work in 405, the person decided instead to stay with friend in another room and didn't bother to bring it back or complain until he checked out the next day. In the meantime, the hotel volunteered to move us to another room with key and gave us a nice suite to make up for the hassle of the situation.

Jim on the large balcony of our suite.