Guatemala’s English-language Magazine December 2016 Year 25, No. 10 FREE revuemag.com 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 18 30 CONTENTSCONTENTS SECTIONS 24 DateBook: DECEMBER 16 GUATEMALA INSIGHT by Elizabeth Bell 41 Health Services Crafting Ceramic Art 80 Travel / El Salvador Centuries-old Christmas tradition 81 Travel 95 Marketplace 18 TRADITION by Kerstin Sabene 99 Real Estate Place of the Lord’s Daughter Ancient Mayan dance-drama, the Rabinal Achi REGIONS 35 Guatemala City 20 COMMUNITY SERVICE 46 La Antigua 56 Partner for Surgery (ACPC) 83 Lake Atitlán 15 years and going strong 88 Pacific Coast 81 El Petén 92 Tecpán 21 by Sue Patterson COMMUNITY SERVICE 92 Quetzaltenango WINGS: Fifteen Years Flying 93 Río Dulce 22 COMMUNITY SERVICE 12 From the Publishers Transitions Celebrates 20 Years 47 MAP: La Antigua Serving Guatemalans with disabilities 85 MAP: Lake Atitlán 96 Vet Q & A 30 DATEBOOK HIGHLIGHT by Greg Clough 100 Advertiser Index Dream Your Flow AcroYoga, a global phenomenon PHOTO CONTEST 56 AMALIA’S KITCHEN by Amalia Moreno-Damgaard “Places of Worship in Guatemala” Holiday Ponche All of the Dec. entrants can Quintessential holiday drink -- with recipe be seen at REVUEmag.com Here are the winners: 39 Héctor Zamora 74 by John Ohe HOLA EXPAT 54 Emilio Vásquez Robles 24 U.S. Expats & IRAs 70 Solange Thibodeau Almost everything you need to know 98 Lea Funkhouser 101 Gabriel Karshens 16 102 Rita Diaz Deadline for the JAN. 2017 issue is DEC. 10th 10 18 11 From the publishers ur thanks to Hadazul Cruz for creating this month's beautiful Christmas card cover. Other Christmas and seasonal themes include Crafting Ceramic Art by Elizabeth Bell. Holiday Ponche (and recipe) by chef Amalia Moreno- Guatemala’s English-language Magazine ODamgaard gets us in the holiday spirit; Datebook listings provide a host of religious REVUEmag.com • [email protected] Publishers/Editors John & Terry Kovick Biskovich and cultural events and holiday-themed activities plus dance, theater, art exhibitions, Associate Editor Matt Bokor General Manager José Caal talks, a book launch, tours and year-end parties. Photography César Tián, Luis Toribio Service to others goes on all year for hundreds of Guatemalan NGOs. Three such Graphic Designer Hadazul Cruz organizations featured this month celebrated double-digit anniversaries in 2016, Webmaster / Social Media JB Contributing Photographers Partner for Surgery, WINGS and Transitions. Listings and information about many Nelo Mijangos, Willy Posadas other outstanding NGOs can be found at TheAntiguaGuide.com. If your organiza- La Antigua Manager César Tián Production Director Mercedes Mejicanos tion is not included, we'd like to hear from you. Administrative Assistant María Solís In this last month of the year, looking toward the new year ahead John Ohe Systems Luis Juárez Distribution César Tián, Oscar Chacón, Luis Toribio explains U.S. Expats and IRAs. Kerstin Sabene previews the Rabinal Achí performed Maintenance Silvia Gómez every year on Jan. 25, the feast day of St. Paul (the patron saint of Rabinal). If you Sales Representatives Ivonne Pérez, César Tián, Denni Marsh, Fernando Rodas, Luis Toribio, can't be there in person, Kerstin definitely gives us the next best thing Lena Johannessen, José Pablo Visquerra To everyone who reads Revue, to our advertisers who place their confidence in this Printed by PRINT STUDIO Publishing Company publication to spread the word about their businesses, to writers who contribute so PRODUCCIONES PUBLICITARIAS ESTRELLA ANTIgua, S.A. many interesting articles and interviews, photographers whose work graces our pages, Readership 30,000 monthly to our hard-working staff and Revue consultants, the endorsements by friends and REVUE OFFICES: acquaintances, we thank you deeply for your support. May the spirit of Christmas LA ANTIGUA and the miracle of Hanukkah guide us throughout each year. 3a avenida sur #4-A (Central Office) TEL: (502) 7931-4500 — John & Terry Kovick Biskovich [email protected] SAN CRISTÓBAL Denni Marsh Tel: 5704-1029 ALERT TO ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS: We invite you to submit your favorite SAN LUCAS Rodolfo Flores Tel: 3016-8557 Guatemala photo for the Revue 14th Annual Photo Issue (January, 2017). EL SalvadoR [email protected] Send 1 hi-res photo to [email protected] before Dec. 12, 2016. El Salvador Regional Manager: Lena Johannessen Col. Centroamérica Calle San Salvador #202, San Salvador Tels: (503) 7981-4517, 7860-8632 revuemag.com Opinions or statements printed in the Revue are not necessarily those of the publishers. We welcome your comments. REVUE is distributed free, and available at: Hotels, Restaurants, Travel Agencies, Car Rental Agencies, Embassies, Spanish Schools, INGUAT offices, Shops, and other public places in the following areas: Guatemala City, La Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Lake Atitlán, Cobán, Petén, Río Dulce, Lívingston, Monterrico, Retalhuleu; as well as locations in El Salvador and Honduras. ON THE COVER “Hope Shines” REVUEmag.com illustration by PRINT - MOBILE - ONLINE Hadazul Cruz PBX: (502) 7931-4500 [email protected] 12 14 Guatemala Insight by Elizabeth Bell author/historian Clara Luz de Rodenas paints the clay figures with precision, continuing the tradition. photos by César Tian Crafting Ceramic Art Another generation creating centuries-old Christmas traditions in La Antigua he Rodenas family has been well known When Florencio was born in 1918, in La Antigua Guatemala for centuries he learned the techniques as a child for making ceramics. Don Francisco Rodenas made loza (ceramic dishes) and with his brothers and sisters. Tadded an innovation at that time as he began to make He became famous for his miniatures. miniature items, including toy figures that were then painted and became popular in local markets. His son, don Arturo, continued in his tradition as the Don Florencio became famous for his miniatures, entire family worked in their workshop in the neigh- including the toy figures (at first), miniature tea sets borhood of El Chajón. When Florencio was born in and then beautifully painted butterflies, turkeys, 1918, he learned the techniques as a child with his animals, fruits and owls (like piggy-banks) we still brothers and sisters. 16 Antigua. Today she paints them with traditional Maya dress. The work- manship that goes into the figures, no larger than 2½ inches in size, is re- markable. Clara Luz and Gerson also produce larger traditional angels and figures that have made the Rodenas family famous over the centuries. The tradition of Nativity scenes in Guatemala is also centuries old. First introduced in Italy by St. Fran- cis (1223), Nativity scenes were made popular in Guatemala by Santo Her- mano Pedro in the 17th century. We will find them throughout the coun- try during Christmastime as many businesses and families create elabo- find today in artisans’ markets. Don Florencio was truly famous for rate nacimientos integrating local flo- his miniature Nativity figures. This tradition continues through his ra, fauna and figures, including those children and grandchildren, particularly his daughter-in-law, Clara with Maya dress. Luz de Rodenas, and grandson, Gerson Roberto Rodenas López, who are working today. The tradition of Nativity scenes and century-old ceramics come together These figures are exquisite and unique! Gerson makes the clay fig- in Antigua. Happy holidays! ures, based on the tradition his great-great grandfather passed on to the entire family. Clara Luz paints them, as you can see as she labors away on a table she set up in the ruins of the Cathedral of San José in 17 text and photos by Kerstin Sabene Place of the Lord’s Daughter An ancient Maya dance-drama, the Rabinal Achí, connects the past with the future t was a beautiful Sunday morn- ing in late January when I set out from Guatemala City with an adventurous group of friends Ifor the remote Mayan town of Ra- binal in Baja Verapaz. One of the oldest municipalities in the coun- try, Rabinal is located in the west- ern highlands about 125 kilometers north of Guatemala City. Our comfy van made its way easily through dry, desert-like terrain before beginning its ascent into the lush forested hill- sides of Baja Verapaz, which is almost entirely surrounded by the Chuacús Mountains. We were on our way to witness the ancient Maya dance-drama, the Ra- Lord Ojob’Toj (front center) and binal Achí, whose written text dates the green-feathered mother. back to the 16th century. This col- 18 Participants in the St. Paul’s Day procession The ancient Maya dance-drama, the Rabinal Achí, is one of the best examples of surviving pre-Columbian culture in Mesoamerica. The sheer beauty of the indig- enous dress as well as the devotion of the entire community to its pag- eantry is simply breathtaking. It is clearly an intrinsic part of the resi- dents’ culture, just like the air that orful and performative work is considered to be a rare and one of the they breathe. The town of Rabinal is best examples of surviving pre-Columbian culture in Mesoamerica. The predominantly Achí with most of its Rabinal Achí is performed every year on Jan. 25, the feast day of St. Paul, population speaking Achí, a dialect the patron saint of Rabinal, and it is depicted through music and dance by of the Maya Quiche language. The characters wearing elaborate costumes and wooden masks. name Rabinal literally means “Place of the Lord’s Daughter” in Q’eqchi’. The central plaza in Rabinal was bustling with activity when As with most historical drama, we arrived. Beginning early in the there is a conflict involved, and the morning, actors and locals spill main characters are two captains and out onto the main square dressed political rivals, the Rabinal Achí and up in stunning costume or wear- the K’iche Achí.