Guatemala-
Tortillas and Beans
I opted for full cultural immersion, taking up a month long residence with a ladino family (Spanish/Indian mix) where only Spanish was spoken, in the small town of Todos Santos in the Guatemala highlands (pop. 3,500 at 7,900'). I studied Spanish one-on-one at a school in town and took all my meals with this family in the cramped smokey kitchen. The experience was rich and filled with cultural exchange at every turn. I'll lead with a favored subject: food.
In Mexico the food dances with vibrant colors and flavors and the peoples relationship to it is strong. To the south across the border Guatemalan food sits limp and near lifeless on the plate, it looks disinterested in being eaten. In Mexico the food jumps into your mouth. In Guatemala it is dull on the tongue and is like a beautiful woman without charm, it is food without spices.
Food without inspiration. I stare at my plate with dull eyes. The stack of tortillas stare back. Black beans fan out across the plate. Always beans always tortillas and if I am lucky a piece of chicken or gristled meat. It is food without charm. My head droops over the table in sullen air while the plate of Guatemalan food waits with patience.
Mexico is relatively modernized and has machines make most of its tortillas. The Guatemalan prepares them with love from scratch. Corn kernels transformed into corn meal then hand patted into the best tortillas I have eaten. Ah, the contrasts of the Guatemala I have come to know.
Hens
Last week of Spanish class. Last week in this house full of women. I suppose it is natural instinct in them to hen-peck the only man in the house. One man and three adult women, the hens take over. In my case I am hen-pecked by two of the three women. Nora the master of the house is a 48 year old elementary school teacher and my Spanish instructor. Clara is a hired hand to keep house, cook, clean and keep after the infant boy.
Clara is a cute and very short ladino of 18 years with a well developed Guatemalan Pouch -a sumptuous bread basket of a belly that hangs over her jeans. She is very pretty and overfed with tortillas. The diet here is carbohydrate laden with beans and tortillas. Clara gets after me to either eat more tortillas at every meal or chases after me when I boil water for coffee or oatmeal. When I am "cooking" she looks over my shoulder and comments on this and that, this all leaves an air of impatience on her part with my presence in the kitchen, cocina. The kitchen is her domain, she prepares every meal over a gas range and over a wood burning stove. In Guatemala the man is not welcome in the kitchen unless it is to solely eat.
I can't tell if I've become more sensitive to the hen-pecking or they have grown comfortable dominating me like and infant or imbecile. I write of the frustrations of being hen-pecked, however, it is important to note the sense of humor that pervades the house between the three of them, it is a fun lighthearted house and the conversations at the kitchen table are colorful.
As for Nora she concerns herself with every movement I make, may make or have made. If I am making coffee with Nora it's, What are you doing?. If I have a jacket on because it is cold in the house it's, Where are you going?. When I walk in, Where have you been?. To me it is tiresome and pointlessly obvious; sometimes I am certain they are not listening to my answers. They just can't let it be. When it is early in the morning and they do this I snarl some and retreat to my private room.
I suppose a great deal of it is culture. The Latin Americans of Guatemala and Mexico are never alone. For example, in my house there are three bedrooms with beds, yet all three adults sleep in one big bed, three women, one 6 year old and one infant. All that space and they choose to sleep together like a litter of kittens. That is cultural.
Their need to dominate manifests with them checking in with me or rather on me and it cramps my cat-like solitary ways.
Side note:
On Sunday, June 28 there was a bloodless coup in Honduras. I am one week from entering that country and should make for some interesting travel and possible dispatches.
David,
Nebaj, Guatemala
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