Monday, December 25, 2000 Online Edition 52

Honduran shines as environmental scientist in U. S.

By SUYAPA CARIAS 

TEGUCIGALPA -- She left for the Big Apple as a teenager 18 years ago, carrying along a heavy load of energy, illusions but also uncertainty. Today, after many years of hard work, Honduran geologist Claudia Gutiérrez Matamoros leaves home early every day to work as an environmental scientist for the Water Supply Branch of the U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2.

Born in San Pedro Sula, Claudia is the eldest daughter of the late journalist, Roberto Gutiérrez Minera, and Gloria Matamoros de Gutiérrez. Her "American dream" story began at the age of 15 when she moved to the United States with her mother and sister Jennifer.

EXCITING CAREER

Claudia immediately enrolled in the neighborhood school in Queens, N. Y.  and soon adapted to that city's lifestyle, while getting excellent grades, especially in mathematics. When graduation time came, Claudia decided to study business and finance at the CUNY Baruch College. However, three semesters later she realized she wanted to go for something more exciting, so she decided to major in geologic engineering.

During this lapse, Claudia worked for a while as manager of a gym club where she learned everything about this business and met "the most diverse kinds of people," making friends with many of them. Once back in school at City College, she devoted her nights to studying hard, and five years later she was ready to apply her learning in the real world.

Aware of the high level of competitiveness prior to finishing school with a GPA of 3. 4, Claudia submitted her resume to no less than 100 environmental institutions throughout the country, and she also made important contacts at a job fair held in college. So with the arrival of 1994, an interesting job offer also came to Claudia's hands from a prestigious private company headquartered in New York.

It only took Claudia one year to show her proficiency in the field of geology for the United States Environmental Protection Agency to cast an eye on her and contract her services. Here, she works as an environmental scientist for the Water Supply Branch for New York, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, making sure that regulations are being respected, managing underground storage tank projects, offering technical training and doing other related tasks.

MORE THAN SCIENCE

Although working hours are usually long, Claudia has still found time to continue her professional training by doing graduate work in environmental science at Hunter College and she will graduate with a masters degree next May.

Aside from her scientific activities, Claudia is the mother of a one-year old girl named Jennifer, who is the joy of her life. As a good "Latina," she loves dancing salsa, and enjoys camping, hiking, rollerblading and walking. 

And although she is now a real "New Yorker," she keeps her native land deep inside her, often remembering the sound of her father's typewriter. She definitely thinks Honduran beaches are the best, but "we have to work at conserving them," she said at a recent family reception held in her honor at her Uncle Leonel Gutiérrez's home in Tegucigalpa.

Foreigner finds patriotism in “futbol”

By MONICA STRIMBOLD 

Special to Honduras This Week

The night before I am to attend my first futball game I am told that I have balls. I eye my acquaintaince from behind the glass of cuba libre I am sipping. "What do you mean," I ask. She tells me that I bought a ticket in sol. "So?" I ask again, shrugging my shoulders.  "Una extranjera en sol? Tienes huevos!"

Far be it for me to contradict a Honduran about her nation’s past time (let alone write an article about it).  So when I arrived at the stadium the following day, I prepared myself for an unusual barrage ofpiropos, sexual advances and perhaps the occasional cup mixed with beer thrown at my head.  Yet I told myself, I´ve been to stadium concerts in Canada.  Could a futbolgame in Honduras be that different?

After sitting on a hard cement bleacher for three hours in the hot Tegucigalpa sun, the differences were glaring.  The game had yet to begin, but I had since realized that the spectacle was not on the field but in the stands.  A soccer enthusiast inCanada had warned me that futbol in Honduras has as much to do withthe game as it did with national patriotism.  One look at the sea of blue and white faces and I believed him.

In Canada patriotism is a word dryly discussed and too often an emotion rarely felt.  When asked what makes a Canadian, a Canadian will often think for a moment, hum and haw and then say, "I don´t know¼hockey, medicare?" In fact, it took a beer commercial to inspire a generation of young Canadians (though I was told that with the death of ex - prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, Canada had fallen into a national state of mourning).

Still on the last Canada day, I spent the evening reading.  I´m sure there were fireworks somewhere.  Yet, not like the July first light show put on by our overly-nationalistic American cousins.  Sitting on my parents´ porch, I thought that I could make out the flashes arcing over the southern horizon, that far off frontier now a visible wall of light dividing the North American continent: the Americans and us.

At a Honduran futbol game, it is always Honduras and the other guys (unless of course it´sMotagua and Olympia and then it´s just chaos).  I pitied the Jamaican team when they flocked onto the field in their bright yellow and green jerseys.  The entire stadium leaped upand shouted comments so derogatory that officials in Canada would ofhad to censure the television play. 

Even though a complacent Canadian, I found myself caught up in the uproar.  When Hondurasscored the winning goal, I spontaneously jumped to my feet.  I found myself hugging a stranger beside me and singing the Honduran selection song with the force of all my lungs.  I thought to myself, this is what patriotism feels like!

A couple of months later, I participated in my first futbol game. In the sleepy village of Jutiapa, the day comes alive atthree o´clock when the men and boys return from the fields to play.  Seriously out of shape, I was breathing hard during the game.  Yet having played futbol in high-school, I was able to hold my own. At one point, however, I came head-to-head with a tough, wiry player.  I rushed for the ball and, a second later, I found myself flat on my back, watching the clouds spin inthe sky.  I raised my head and saw the player race away, now a tiny miniature at the other end of the field. With a thud, I fell back and grumbled to myself. I had just been chagrined by a five-year-old .

For months in this relatively passive country, I having been searching for those nuggets of culture that distinguish Honduras from other countries.  Lying there, recalling the shouting fans at the stadium, feeling the pain in my body and my pride deflating, I realized I didn’t need to look very far.  I only needed to see the determined eyes ofa five-year-old futbol player from the campo.  His eyes told me culture begins with what we commonly see everyday and in Honduras, of course, that is nothing other than futbol. 

Through the eyes of diplomats

U. S.  - Honduran diplomatic correspondence

By RAMÓN ROSA IZAGUIRRE

This column aims to bring to life Honduran history as reported by U. S.  Diplomats assigned to Honduras during the last two centuries.  This initial series focuses on the Bay Islands. 

It is commented by some that the Bay Islands do not seem to be part of the same country as mainland Honduras. In fact, the Bay Islands, were “discovered” by Christopher Columbus in 1502, but since 1859 and the signing and ratification of the Clayton—Bulwer treaty have been legally part of Honduran territory. Nevertheless, the question of their ownership appears repeatedly in the diplomatic correspondence. 

BAY ISLANDS FOR SALE BY GUATEMALA

Legation of the United States In Central America

Guatemala City, October 10th, 1879

Honorable William M.  Evarts
Secretary of State
Washington, D. C. 

Sir:

I have to inform you of a proposal by President Barrios of Guatemala, to sell the Bay Islands to the United States Government. These islands, as you will remember, are six in number, lying at a distance of from thirty to fifty miles from the Northern Coast of Honduras and nearly parallel with it. They are named Roatan, Guanaja, Utilla, Barbaretta, Helena and Morat. The two larger are very productive, and Roatan may well be regarded as “the Key of the Bay of Honduras, and the focus of the trade of the neighboring countries”. Captain Mitchell of the English Navy, said of it in 1850, “the local position of the island seems one of importance in a commercial, and perhaps in a political point of view. It is the only place where good harbors are found on an extensive and dangerous coast”. Captain John Wright said that Roatan and Guanaja “are proverbially known as ‘the Garden of the West Indies’, the ‘Key to Spanish America’ and ‘a new Gibraltar’. From their natural strength they might be made impregnable, being tenable with a very small force. 

President Barrios thinks these islands of immense importance, as naval stations, and offers to sell them to the United States; that is, he will see that the Government of Honduras does so, if they are desired.  President Marco A.  Soto of Honduras was formerly an officer in the Cabinet of President Barrios, and was placed in his present position by the latter. The same may be said of President Zaldivar, of Salvador; therefore, the states of Honduras and Salvador are practically under the Government of Barrios; and there can be no doubt of the ability of the latter to sell the islands if he can find a purchaser. 

The Government of Guatemala is in terrible straits for money, owing to extravagance, and ignorance of the recognized principles of finance. When the President made the proposal, I did not deem it prudent to offer any opinion until after having communicated with you. I simply asked him if he remembered the provisions of the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, and was aware of the policy of the United States regarding territorial acquisitions. He said the Treaty could be evaded, and that he had no doubt Great Britain would as easily find a way to do it, if she were a party in interest, as she did to get possession of the Suez Canal. I promised the President that I would advise you of his offer, and request your views at as early a period as you conveniently communicate them. 

At present, the matter rests entirely in confidence between him and myself, but I have no doubt the offer will be made to other powers, should our Government decline negotiation. Great Britain has always coveted these islands, and as there is a rapidly growing German population and commerce in the Central American States, it is not likely that Germany would object to their acquisition; nor be indisposed to try the experiment of facing the Monroe Doctrine openly or of evading it by subterfuge. 

The mere fact that these islands are for sale, I consider an important one, and therefore place it within your knowledge. 

I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant,

C. A.  Logan

(To be continued. Readers’ comments and requests are welcome, <ramon_rosa@yahoo. com>.  Source: U. S.  National Archives. )

CULTURAL EVENTS

MUSEUMS & GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

The Museum of Republican History is located at the Villa Roy building in Tegucigalpa's Barrio Buenos Aries. It is open 8:30 to 3:30, Tuesdays through Sundays and features portraits, paraphernalia, and other interesting items from past presidents. Admission is Lps.  20 for non-resident foreigners and Lps.  10 for Hondurans and Central Americans. For more information, call 222-3470 or 222-1468.

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

The Central Bank of Honduras located at the Comayaguela annex building is open from 9 a. m.  to noon and from 1 to 4 p. m. , Monday to Friday. It has a permanent coin and painting exhibit. For special presentations, call the Emision y Tesoreria department at 237-2270 (-78), ext.  2117 (-2120).  [CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ]

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

The Galeria Nacional de Arte features rock art, pre-Columbian ceramics, colonial paintings, religious art and a wide selection of 20th century Honduran painters. The gallery is located at the Plaza de la Merced in downtown Tegucigalpa. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-5 p. m.  and Sunday from 10-2 p. m. Admission is Lps.  10 for adults, Lps.  5 for senior citizens, Lps.  3 for students and Lps.  1 for children accompanied by adults.

IGUANA FARM

The Biosfera Ecocentro Iguana Farm in Colonia La Joya invites the public to come and learn everything about iguanas. Admission is Lps.  5 for adults, Lps.  3 for children. The facility is open every day (except Wednesday) from 9 to 5. For more ingormation, call 230-6346.

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA

COMAYAGUA MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Located in the city of Comayagua, two hours north of Tegucigalpa, the Comayagua Museum of Archaeology is in the building that served as the seat of government in the 19th century. Exhibits include prehistoric fossils, cave art, ceramics, and objects used by indigenous cultures during the pre-Colombian era. The museum, which also has a small library, is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:30 a. m.  to 4 p. m.

COMAYAGUA RELIGIOUS MUSEUM

Located in the Casa Cural in front of Comayagua's cathedral, this museum features religious paintings and objects dating back to the 16th century. Hours are 8-12 and 2-4 p. m. , Mondays through Fridays. For more information, contact Leonardo Letona at 772-0348.

LA PAZ, LA PAZ

LA PAZ HOUSE OF CULTURE

The La Paz Casa de la Cultura is located in downtown La Paz. It features an attractive exhibit of the Lenca handicrafts and culture. It is open Mondays through Sundays.

SAN PEDRO SULA, CORTES

SPS MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND HISTORY

The Museo de Antropologia e Historia de San Pedro Sula features exhibits on the development of Sula Valley, from 1500 B. C.  to the middle of this century. The museum is open 10 a. m.  to 4:15 p. m.  Tuesdays through Saturdays and 9 a. m.  to 3 p. m.  on Sundays. Admission is Lps.  10 for adults, Lps.  5 for students and children under 12, and Lps.  2 for senior citizens. For more information, call 557-1496/557-1798 or fax 557-1874.

MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA

Sponsored and managed by the Fundacion Ecologista H. R.  Pastor Fasquelle, this new museum was inaugurated last December in its current location at the Biocentro on 3 Avenida and 9 Calle Noroeste. It has 24 exhibits on the environment, natural resources and biology of Honduras. Hours are 8 a. m.  to 5 p. m.  daily and 8 a. m.  until noon on Saturdays. Admission is Lps 5 for students from public schools and Lps.  10. 00 for everyone else.

YUSCARAN, EL PARAISO

YUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE

Yuscaran's Casa de la Cultura is located at the former Casa Fortin in downtown Yuscaran, El Paraiso department, just 45 km from Tegucigalpa on the road to Danli. It is open Mondays through Saturdays.

OLANCHO

PECH CULTURAL CENTER

The Pech have built a small house in El Carbon, Olancho to display their modern handicrafts. An exhibit of archaeological finds in the area is planned. You can ask to see the collection and/or get a tour of a Post Classic era fortified site. The Pech Cultural Center also offers medicinal plant tours, nature hikes, Pech dinners, etc. There is no admission fee to the cultural center. Hours: If you ask, they will open it.

COPAN

COPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Located in the village of Copan Ruinas, Copan department, the museum exhibits a splendid assortment of Mayan pieces that have been found in the Copan Ruins Archaeological Park just 1 km away.

LA PUENTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Featuring a sizeable collection of Mayan handicrafts and photographs as well as a room with Japanese antique ceramics, this museum is located at the El Puente Archaeological Site, about an hour's drive from Copan Ruinas.

MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM

Inaugurated in 1996, this is the premier Mayan museum in the Mundo Maya, featuring the finest examples of Copan's tombs, sculptures and architecture. Located at the Copan Ruins Archaeological Park, the museum is open Monday through Sunday.

TELA, ATLANTIDA

LANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

Located 2 kilometers from Tela on the Atlantic coast highway, the gardens feature one of the largest collections of tropical and subtropical plants, shrubs and trees in all Latin America. It is open from 7:30 a. m.  to 2:30 p. m. , Mondays through Sundays. There is an admission charge.

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA

 BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

Thousands of butterflies and insects from Honduras and 18 other countries are on display in La Ceiba' private Butterfly and Insect Museum. It is located in Colonia El Sauce, 2nd etapa, casa G-12. Visiting hours are 8-12 and 2-5, Monday through Saturday. The museum is closed Wednesday afternoon. Fees are Lps.  15 for adults and Lps.  10 for students. Tel.  442-2874, e-mail: rlehman@ns. gbm. hn

TRUJILLO

TRUJILLO RUFINO GALAN MUSEUM

A private museum which has a memorabilia section, old chairs, anchors, silverware, beds of famous people locally. There is an industrial archaeology section on how lights, axes, stoves, sewing machines, typewriters have changed over time. They have a good collection of Garifuna handicrafts and the best collection of NE Honduras archaeological pieces -- all unmarked. A written guide to the museum is available at the Trujillo Tourism Office in English and Spanish. The museum is open 8 to 4, closing for lunch. Adults Lps.  20, children Lps.  10. Located on Calle 18 de Mayo, next to the Crystales River and the famous "piscina" or pool, about a 15-minute walk out of town.

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

The private Carambola Botanical Gardens and Nature Trails is located in Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands. A wide variety of exotic plants is featured here, including "Roatan's most extensive orchid collection. "It is open daily from 7 a. m.  to 5 p. m. For more information, call 445-1117 and ask for Bill or Irma Brady.

BAY ISLANDS MUSEUM

A private museum at Anthony's Key Resort, Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, it mostly includes archaeological pieces, but there is a small section on the modern Bay Islanders. Museum admission is included in the cost of the dolphin show at Anthony Key's Institute of Marine Sciences. Small buses or taxis will take you to Sandy Bay from most Roatan towns.

The Maya Calendar is a public service for our readers. If you would like to announce an event taking place in Honduras, please send the information to: Calendar Editor, Honduras This Week, Fax 232-2300, e-mail: hontweek@hondutel. hn

Monday, December 18, 2000 Online Edition 51

Exploring art, religion and the National Art Gallery 

Built originally as a covenant in the 17th century and later serving as the first university, this colonial building next to Plaza La Merced is now home to the National Art Gallery. The museum has an interesting collection of art works ranging from pre-Hispanic pieces to works of modern art.

 By BILLY WEISS

Special to Honduras This Week 

Right next door to the rather bizarre-looking Congress building that is built on stilts, and coming down to the river from Plaza Morazan, is the National Art Gallery. It is well worth the visit even if only to view its small but fascinating collection of pre-Hispanic art. It has also got a collection of modern art pieces that could be said to range from the brilliant to the truly awful.

Yet probably the only real fault to be found with the place is that there are no guides or anyone to speak to who has any specialist or artistic knowledge of what exactly is going on in the place, nor are there any signs in English. So, while those who can understand Spanish can at least get some fair idea of what is going on, those who only understand English, which will always be a fair number of the tourists who are going to constitute a large proportion of the people attracted to visit a gallery such as this, will really struggle to appreciate the collection.

This was obviously the case with the American couple who were attempting to figure out what territorio comun (common spaces) meant in the context of a collection of photos by different artists of some of the common spaces that we all have to share together in Tegucigalpa. Indeed only by carefully reading all the signs was it possible to get an idea of the themes running through the gallery, or of the ideas informing those who set up the gallery in its present form, and this reading can greatly enrich one's perception of the whole show. This was one of the highlights of the exhibition.

The most important of these themes was that whereas until the beginning of the 20th century pre-Hispanic art was considered to be ugly and of little artistic merit, the whole modern art movement has drawn its roots from this primitive art that, in strong contrast to pre-20th century attitudes, is now considered to be very beautiful, extremely finely made, especially considering the lack of iron tools then available, and of great intrinsic and artistic worth.

STRIKING EXHIBIT

The old well is the centerpiece of the pleasant courtyard.  (Photo by Billy Weiss. )

Indeed the first exhibit in the first room immediately strikes the attention in a powerful way. It looks like an enormous 3 ft high phallic symbol, though it also has the chrysalis-waiting-to-turn-into-butterfly feel to it, which is exactly how it is described by the sign attached to it. In many ways, this simple piece from the Mosquitia region is the finest and most powerful work the gallery has to offer.

There is also an interesting comment beside a powerful and somewhat grisly looking statue of how on April 20th every year in the pre-Hispanic period the maize king was sacrificed. This was often a real event in the sense that the young man chosen to become the maize king was literally sacrificed as the highest form of devotion the people could offer to the Gods. It is interesting to think that a people accustomed to such rituals would find it easy to convert to a Christian religion where April 20th is the very last day on which Jesus can be "sacrificed" on the cross, as he ritually is every Easter, dying that we might be saved, as indeed the young Honduran men died so that the maize would grow and the tribe would be "saved. "

The gallery also makes a strong connection between the religious art of the pre-Hispanics, and that of the invading Spanish. The gallery can be divided into three sections: primitive art, modern art and hispanic religious art.

After moving through another room full of a whole different range of styles of pottery, with styles and epochs having been deliberately and almost randomly placed together in order to create an atmosphere and an impression, the atmosphere changes somewhat dramatically upon entering a room full of old religious Catholic paintings from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

INTERESTING LINK

The gallery describes it as art in the service of religion, and by drawing connections between how the only art there was in pre-Colombian societies was religious, and how art served religion the gallery makes an interesting link between these two styles of art that at first glance appear to have nothing more in common than the fact that they were both styles created in Honduras.

All the works are anonymous (i. e.  the gallery does not know who the author is), except for several paintings by Jose Miguel Gomez, who was the first local Honduran artist who, during the 18th century, was able to build a reputation for himself as a professional artist. These are classically traditional religious art paintings, sadly somewhat faded for the most part, and seeming to have more to do with purely European medieval art forms than with anything that would be thought of as Honduran. Of the pictures it is that of St.  Peter holding the keys to the gates of heaven, possibly attributed to Gomez, that is the best preserved and the most impressive.

In the next room they have more of the same, but here the paintings are eclipsed by a most unusual image made out of wood of Christ on the cross. The wood has been burnt black, making a black Christ figure, which is a popular image in Hispanic Catholicism. Obviously the wood was burnt deliberately, and very skillfully, because the overall impression of a tortured Christ figure is brilliant.

Other religious pieces made of gold and silver are also on display, but very much outshone by the black Christ figure.

Moving upstairs one sees the other half of the exhibition, which focusses on modern art. Clearly the exhibits here are part of an anthology of the Montes de Oca plastic arts of Honduras for the year 2000, and equally clearly this was a gentleman living in the early part of the 20th century who drew cartoons and some quite good still lifes, as can be seen from the pair of his works that accompany the exhibition. The Spanish-English dictionary says there is such a thing as plastic art, but what this means remains unclear. Perhaps another term for modern art.

THE SUBLIME AND THE AWFUL

As somewhat of a skeptic for such things, this author has been surprised at how many really good and even stunning pieces there are in the exhibition, though they have been placed alongside some of the most appallingly awful pieces that fail to demonstrate that those who have created them have ever moved out of nursery school.

Those pictures that do captivate are of a natural style depicting scenes that are clearly Honduran, and mostly of rural Honduras. Given that each author only has one piece exhibited, and that they all seem like up-and-coming young artists, it is worth mentioning "El Sueno del General" by Jose Francisco Rasco and "Campina Hondurena" by German Duran as particularly promising pieces.

As often happens in art, some of the pieces are much more sexual than anything that would be allowed in public spaces elsewhere in Honduras. Though some people will doubtless want to prepare for the shock of some of these images, art has always served this function of exposing the sexual, though some may consider some of these pieces as a bit tasteless, and certainly none of them are amongst the better pieces or seem to have much to offer other than their shock value.

In the final room is a beautiful wooden sculpture of someone playing the violin, sculpted by Zelaya. This is obviously a quality piece of work by a highly skilled craftsman, and while certainly modernist it also holds something of art that gives it a certain transcendence.

Also worth mentioning are the excellent, and amusing if you can read the Spanish, original cartoon drawings that have obviously been published in various of the local newspapers over the last year. Many focus on the obviously schizophrenic relationship that Honduras feels it has with the United States. Some of them also reveal a higher level of art than that to be found in many of the modern art pieces.

The author then tried to obtain an interview with someone involved in setting up the exhibitions or the gallery, but the very friendly girl on the desk said there was no one available, and while she was happy to say what she knew this turned out to be no more than anyone could discover from reading the Spanish guide book on the Gallery.

Originally built as a convent in 1654, the first ever university of Honduras was set up there in 1857, and remained there until 1968. A group of private citizens set up FUNDARTE in 1994 and it is this organization that under government jurisdiction has set up a foundation that runs the gallery. The entrance fee is Lps.  10, and for those with any interest in art it is well worth the effort to go and see.

Tales of traditional spirits still told among the Maya-Chorti 

Maya-Chorti children still excitedly listen to the traditional stories of their culture. (Photo by Wendy Griffin. )

By WENDY GRIFFIN 

The Maya-Chorti of Honduras continue to believe in traditional spirits. One even still has a name in an indigenous language. Siguanabana means "spirit of a woman" in Nahuatl.

There used to be in the community of La Laguna, reports Oscar Desdicho, a Mayan leader, a lagoon that never dried up. In the middle of the lagoon, there was an orange tree. At one in the morning, a rooster would appear and crow.

Also a small basket of flowers would appear along with a tall woman with long hair and a little girl. Later, the owner, Don Ramon Cuevas, came looking for a cow. He asked the woman, "Aren't you washing?"She said no. Don Ramon said to her, "Well, then you are the Siguanabana. "

As children are mischievous, they set it on fire. You could hear the howls of the serpent. Also you could see the spines that came out of the serpent. That was the end of the enchanted lagoon. The Mayan Siguanabana seems somewhat like the sirena or mermaid of other Honduran ethnic groups.

Oscar Desdicho also explained about the cadejo. "This is an animal that comes from the mountain. It is like a puppy and when it gets angry, it can attack cattle. You can hear it on a path when you are walking.

If it plays with a man, it leaves him crazy. The cadejo comes out at 8 or 9 p. m.  at night. Only God can protect the man with whom the cadejo plays. White cadejos are the enemies of women and the black cadejos are the enemy of men.

If the cadejo walks by drying clothes, they become smelly and this is what drives one crazy.

Another spirit of Mayan stories is the duende, as in this tale told by Abraham Garcia. "The duende is a small man with a large hat. He chases girls. He does not leave them in peace.

"To get rid of him, you have to ask him, 'What was the job that you had in the sky?'This reminds him and he is sad. He doesn't come back to bother the girl he was chasing.

"The work that he had in the sky was that of musician. He was one of the best musicians in the sky. But since he wanted to rule above God, as a punishment he was sent to the Earth. "

Among Ladinos in Honduras, it is possible to hear stories of the cadejo, the duende, and the Siguanabana, although they are also told by Guatemalan Mayas. One type of spirit that is particularly Mayan is the Sierpe, as in this story of the Hill of the Flag told my Oscar Desdicho.

In the Hill of the Flag, there is a Sierpe chained there, because God wanted it chained there. In the places in the hills where the sierpes are, there is a lagoon. Because when the sierpe goes out, it leaves a space and this is flooded.

These sierpes have large horns and they are of silver. If you try to take off its horns, you cannot leave them in the house, because lightening bolts will strike there. They say one sierpe left the place where it was tied down, because God let it, but it was dead when it left the mountain.

In this hill, there was a gringo who wanted to rob a gold doll and ball. This gringo was there 15 days and 15 nights to take it out, but he could not because it was very deep. In the end, he got tired and left.

Among the Mayas, sierpes were rain spirits who only worked during the rainy season. During the dry season, they lived in mountains, caves and lagoons. The sierpes are probably called forth by a ceremony called "Padrino del Agua" (Godfather of the Water) performed at the end of April, before the rainy season. December 24 is when the Earth (and its spirits) are thanked for a good agricultural year.

Like other ethnic groups that live along river and creek banks, this was not a great agricultural year for the Chorti. The mud left after the flooding caused by Hurricane Mitch tends to stay too wet and the creeks flood too easily, so that the fields we visited had bean plants that never fully developed, then were ruined due to fungi and molds. Maybe even the spirits are having a hard time knowing how to adjust to post-Mitch conditions in agriculture. 

Through the eyes of diplomats

U. S.  - Honduran diplomatic correspondence

By RAMÓN ROSA IZAGUIRRE 

This column aims to bring to life Honduran history as reported by U. S.  Diplomats assigned to Honduras during the last two centuries. This initial series focuses on the Bay Islands.  This week's column continues the report on the Bay Islands, submitted to the Department of State in April, 1875 by the first consul there, F.  Frye.

RUATAN

Ruatan is the largest and most populous of the islands and is the seat of government of the department. It is twenty seven miles long, and from one to two miles broad. Situated thirty six miles northwest of Truxillo, its surface is mountainous and every where well wooded and watered. I am of the opinion that it would equal if not exceed Cuba, in the growth of coffee. There is but one port of entry upon the island, Coxen Hole, or Port Medina as it is now called, although the island possesses no less than twenty two harbors. Total population about 2500 to 3000, seven eighths of whom are black. Common with the other islands, the exports are fruit and coconuts.

BONNACCA

Anciently called Guanaja, is next in size to Ruatan, being about 14 miles long, by two miles wide. It is situated 40 miles to the Eastward of Ruatan and 25 miles to the North of Truxillo. The whole southern Coast is an immense harbor formed by a semicircle of cays. There are four small harbors on the north side. A black fly peculiar to the islands proves a terrible pest and prevents settlement. The population nearly all live on the cays: total 100.

UTILA

Is the westernmost of the islands and is nearly midway between Truxillo and Omoa. It is 9 miles long by two miles wide, but the great portion of it is taken up by lagoons and swamps, the arable land forming a rim or belt around the island. This island differs from the others in being almost entirely flat, its only elevation being a small round hill at the east end. There is but one harbor situated on the south side. Unlike Ruatan, the population are nearly all white, although there is a slight mixture of Negro blood in nearly all the natives. The inhabitants of Utila enjoy more prosperity than those of the other islands. They are intelligent but uneducated; neither do they seem to appreciate the benefits and blessings of education for their children, the most of them being suffered to grow up in ignorance. Population of 600 to 700. The other islands are but thinly populated and produce nothing but coconuts.

FRUIT AND FRUIT TRADE

As before stated, the sale exports from the Bay Islands are fruit and Cocoanuts. The only kinds of fruit that are raised for export are Bananas and Plantains, and some few Limes and Pine apples. Bananas and Plantains should properly be classed as vegetables. The manner of cultivation of each and the nature of the plants is very much the same. The planting or setting out can be done at any season of the year, but June and February are considered the best months. In preparing a field or plantation, the young growth and underbrush are first cut away and after becoming sufficiently dry, is burned over, nothing more. The young plants are then put in about ten or twelve feet each way. In about eight or ten months the fruit is fit to cut. At this stage, numerous suckers have sprung up around the present stock, and the largest supplies the place of the one from which the fruit is taken, as each stock produces but once and is cut down as soon as the fruit is taken off. The plantations are cleaned but once a year, not in the manner in which a Northern farmer cleans his corn field, but with a sort of cutlass called a "machete" the tops of the growth and weeds are cut off, dead suckers removed and the work is done. For the small amount of work done, such farming is very remunerative, as an acre will produce six hundred bunches, worth twenty five cents a bunch as it stands, and is constantly in bearing. In addition to the above named, the islands produce Oranges, Limes, Guavas, Mangos, Sapotes, Chucro Plums, Bread fruit and Aguacates or Alligator Pears as they are sometimes called, a delicious vegetable and unequaled in salad. The only market for the products of the islands is the United States.

The greater part of the fruit is shipped to New Orleans although vessels frequently load in the summertime for New York. The trade is carried on in small vessels, none being over one hundred and fifty tons. Many fishing vessels from Portland and Cape Cod engage in running fruit in the winter time. From January to July, trade is brisk but during the remainder of the year is very dull. The trade is yearly increasing and business men acquainted with the fruit trade would do well to turn their attention to these islands. The people greatly desire a stable government and would hail with delight the news of their acquisition by the United States. A better Naval station in the West Indies could not be found. I give below a table showing the accounts of fruit shipped from this island from May 1st 1875 to January 20th 1876, a period of not quite nine months. The prostration of business in the United States materially affected the fruit trade.

I am Sir, your obedient Servant,

F.  E.  Frye
Consul

(To be continued. Readers' comments and requests are welcome, <ramon­_rosa@yahoo. com>.  Source: U. S.  National Archives. )

Monday, December 11, 2000 Online Edition 50