CULTURAL

"...Do not look at monuments and palaces. Do not tarry in gilded cathedrals and fancy concert halls. The essence, the soul, the tragedy and the hope that is Honduras are all found at the core of its indigenous communities."

So says Don Modesto Garcia Oaxaca, a Maya-Chorti leader from Copan. His is not an idle exhortation. The Chorti number 8,000 in Honduras and they are hanging by a thread -- a lifeline, an umbilical cord reaching into antiquity and through which flow the vital fluids of ethnicity, character, protocols and theosophies, in short, the very sum and substance of tribal selfhood.

Sadly, that thread is fraying. Their ancient glory defiled, alive -- if not well -- transfigured by centuries of alien doctrine and hostile foreign governance the Chorti, like other shrinking indigenous entities in the Isthmus, find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Linked by strong ancestral bonds, unwilling casualties of the social, political and economic permutations around them, they are slowly losing their identity, forgetting their language, discarding age-old but now cumbersome traditions -- their ranks further diluted by the loss of patrimonial lands, assimilation and other culture-adulterating dynamics.

The causes, extent and consequences of culture shock on the Chorti -- and their resilience in the face of nearly insurmountable odds -- are skillfully analyzed in Prof. Adalid Martinez Perdomo's new book. A short work of history, ethnology and sociology, La Fuerza de la Sangre Chorti speaks volumes on the origins, values and traditions of this ancient people. Examining their lore and beliefs, and probing the influence of the Catholic, Protestant and "new century" religions, the author offers a sober assessment and penetrating insights into the fragile modern Chorti society.

He also explores the factors that have enabled the Chorti to delay -- if not escape -- extinction, among them, as the title suggests, the "vigor" of their race and their indomitable capacity to endure. He warns, however that unfamiliarity with the laws of Honduras, which, if enforced, promote their survival and defend their dignity, cripples the efforts of the Chorti to be heard.

Scholar, student and neophyte alike, will find La Fuerza de la Sangre Chorti an enlightening, stimulating and compelling work. Prof. Martínez earned a degree in Social Sciences from the Francisco Morazan National Teaching University. He currently teaches at the Escuela Agricola "Pompilio Ortega" in Santa Barbara. This is his second book.

It is a cold, misty day at the zoo. Tendrils of fog twist in and out of the bear cage, the jaguar cage, the monkey cage. Pancha, the spider monkey, sits huddled on the bench, head tucked into her long black arm. I sit down next to her while waiting for Rosy the zoo director.

Pancha, as usual, pretends to ignore me. The only difference is that today she scoots her back up against me: maybe she is cold, or maybe she likes the smell of Rosy's jacket that I am wearing.

Pancha's black coat is shot through with gray hair; her potbelly -- she has been begging junk food from visitors away from Rosy's watchful eye -- is almost completely white. Pancha has been with Rosy fourteen years, since the day that Rosy rescued her from a gang of stone-throwing children.

Pancha is one of the few animals that roam free in the zoo. Another is Rosy's burro, who is now walking toward us. Rosy bought him from a campesino who had been loading the burro with firewood until its back was bloody.

Pancha presses closer to me and chitters menacingly at the burro. Now her face juts outward, alertly watching as the burro plods toward us. I hold out my hand to the burro. Pancha's long black arm intercepts mine and pushes it back into my lap; immediately she resumes her huddled position.

The burro tentatively raises his gray muzzle toward me, and again I put out my hand. Again Pancha's hand intercepts mine and her long prehensile tail wraps around my wrist as well. With her other hand she reaches for the burro's ear. The burro backs off. But a moment later he cautiously nuzzles toward me again. Pancha stands up, clamps her back to me with arm and tail, shrieks at the burro, and shoots out her other hand to grab for the burro's ear. Seizing the ear, she yanks it as hard as possible. The burro brays and bolts.

Sara Morris Swetcharnik is a sculptor and writer of narratives. For the past two years her subjects have mainly been animals native to Central America, and especially those at the El Picacho zoo in Tegucigalpa.

The Maya Calendar
A guide to the best in Honduran culture

ETHNIC ART -- PROPAITH and the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History is sponsoring exhibitions and the sale of traditional indigenous arts and crafts. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at PROPAITH located on Calle Morelos in front of the Museo de Historia Republicana in Villa Roy, Barrio Buenos Aires. Call 38-0608 for more information.

TRADITIONAL INDUSTRY -- The Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History is currently displaying a cultural exhibit of the Garifuna community featuring the processing of Casabe, a staple of the Garifuna diet that is made from the yucca root. The exhibit is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is being held in the Auditorium next to the Museo de Historia Republicana, in Villa Roy, Barrio Buenos Aires. Call 22-3470 for more information.

WEIGHT WATCHERS -- Weight Watchers, an international weight loss program with over 40 years of experience in helping people maintain a healthier lifestyle, will be offering classes beginning in January in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. To join or for more information contact Juan Cueva Membreno at 39-0161.

TOASTMASTERS - The Tegucigalpa Toastmasters Club invites the public to learn and practice techniques of effective speaking and leadership skills. Meetings are held every first and third Tuesday of the month at the American School library in Tegucigalpa at 6:45 p.m. More information with Maggie Arbuckle at 31-5055 or 38-5114.

FAMILIES ANONYMOUS -- Families Anonymous (FA) meetings are held every Tuesday evening at the Union Church at 7:30 p.m. Call Eileen for more information at 39-9779 or 39-9778.

CIGAR SMOKERS OF HONDURAS -- Regularly meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Texas Barbecue restaurant on Blvd. Morazan in Tegucigalpa. Bring two cigars to trade, and contact Joe Mays at 32-6519 for more information.

SPANISH CLASSES -- Spanish as a second language courses are being offered at the National Autonomous University of Honduras. Learn Spanish with personal and advanced methods for Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Superior levels. For more information, call 32-2110, Ext. 217 or write to University Certificate in Spanish Proficiency, P.O. Box U 8779, Tegucigalpa.

ART CLASSES -- The Dr. Ricardo Redondo Licona Fine Arts Academy is offering painting, music, theater, folkloric and popular dance, singing and ballet classes in Tegucigalpa. More information at 30-3880.

FRENCH RADIO -- SATURDAYS -- From 6 to 7 p.m. Radio 95.3 FM presents news, music, and interviews in French. Call 36-6800 for more information.

PUPPETS --SUNDAYS -- D'Barro Restaurant in Colonia Alameda of Tegucigalpa presents the Bambu Puppet Theater Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Admission is Lps. 20.

CHRISTMAS RECITAL -- DECEMBER 18, 19 -- The National Symphonic Orchestra will be presenting its Christmas Recital at the Manuel Bonilla National Theater at 6 p.m. Tickets are Lps. 100.

BALLET -- DECEMBER 21, 26 -- The Pavlova Ballet School directed by Griscelda Varela will be presenting "Today is Christmas" at 7:30 p.m. in the Manuel Bonilla National Theater. Admission is Lps. 30.

JAZZ CORNER -- DECEMBER 22 -- The JAZZ CORNER, a new restaurant and bar that will be featuring live jazz music, is having its grand opening Monday Dec. 22 in Colonia San Carlos across from Los Castanos shopping mall on Boulevard Morazan.

PUPPETS --SUNDAYS -- D'Barro Restaurant in Colonia Alameda of Tegucigalpa presents the Bambu Puppet Theater Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Admission is Lps. 20.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

Formerly the National Museum and the Museum of the Honduran Republic, the New 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 22-3470 or 22-1468.

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 37-2270 (-78), ext. 2117 (-2120).

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 information, call 30-6346.

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.

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

SAN PEDRO SULA MUSEUM

The Museo de San Pedro Sula is located between 3rd and 4th Avenues, 4th Street N.O. in San Pedro Sula. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is Lps. 5 for adults, Lps. 2 for students (must present valid ID) and Lps. 2 for children under 12 years of age. (Tel: 57-1496, Fax: 52-7091)

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 Copán Ruinas.

MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM

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

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA

COMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM

Located in the city of Comayagua, 2 hours north from Tegucigalpa, the Comayagua Colonial Museum is in the building that served as home to the government in the 19th century. It contains objects used by indigenous cultures and the Spanish during the pre-Colombian and Colonial eras.

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 72-0348.

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. 42-2874, e-mail: rlehman@ns.gbm.hn

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

Possibly the only private gardens in Honduras, the 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 45-1117 and ask for Bill or Irma Brady.

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 32-2300, e-mail: hontweek@hondutel.hn

Honduran family life is depicted in drawings by students who participated in the yearly poster contest sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund.

By TELISHA WILLIAMS

Every year the United Nations Population Fund sponsors an international poster contest. This year 12 grade schools from the departments of Francisco Morazan, Cortes, Olancho, and Santa Barbara were chosen to represent Honduras. The purpose of the contest was to invite reflection about the realities within society.

Students, teachers, and parents all participated in exercises aimed at revealing the daily life of the Honduran family. The ideas discussed in these sessions were the inspiration for drawings and quotes from the students, which have been compiled in a book, Asi vemos y sentimos a nuestra familia (This is how we see and feel about our family). The testimonies selected for this publication were collected in different moments and situations, and are in the children's own words. Following are a few examples:

"We are eleven brothers and sisters plus one sister who died, my mom works a lot...of my father I don't remember." "I'm happy with my mom and brothers and sisters. "Sometimes she is sad when she is tired, but after a little bit she starts singing." "I like school, but now I'm not going to be able to go because there's no money in the house and I have to work ..." "I want to ask questions, but they don't pay attention to me." "I don't have a family because my mom hits me a lot and my stepfather insults me ... I'm almost always alone." "They say that in other houses there's a lot of fighting, but my mom and dad love one another and are good friends with us." "I don't know about these things, but here the people say that my father went around with other women. Now they say that he died of AIDS." "Every morning really early, we have to go get water ... How nice it would be if it were closer! because we have to walk so far and it's very hard." "I like it when my father helps me with my homework, my mom doesn't know how to read or write."

These and many other quotes give the reader an inside look at the conditions, both positive and negative, that many Honduran families experience on a daily basis. In addition, the book provides current statistical information about population distribution, employment, education, social equality, domestic violence, and public health.

Around the time of the Mocoron war with Nicaragua to define Honduras' eastern borders in the 1950s, the Honduran government decided to start a cultural mission and open primary schools in the Mosquitia.

Up to that time, the only schools in la Mosquitia were a Moravian church school in Brus Laguna and Nicaraguan public

schools between Kruta and the Rio Coco. In that area, children were taught that they lived in the famous zona en litigio -- land in an international border dispute, according to Francisco, a native of Leimus on the border.

The Honduran government had tried opening a school once previously in the Mosquitia around 1919, when a mission was sent to Sumal, a Tawahka town on the Rio Guampu where it meets the Patuca. Unfortunately, authorities moved all the Tawahkas together in order to have the children study in El Sumal and then around 1920 there was an epidemic, probably Spanish flu, that wiped out all but four families. So many people died that there were not enough people left living to bury all the dead. With this as the beginning of education in the Mosquitia, it was hard to get people interested in starting again.

The tale of the arrival of the first Spanish-speaking teacher of the 1950s mission is still told today in a story collected by Jairo Wood, former coordinator of MISKIWAT, the Miskito Cultural Center in Tegucigalpa.

This teacher, who had never flown before, arrived in a small plane to the then dirt airstrip at Mocoron. He felt very ill from the flight, but the "cabo cantonal" (corporal in charge of the area) had been told to prepare a special welcome for him. Everyone in the nearby villages turned out.

His arrival was followed by long speeches in Spanish, of which the listeners understood not one word, since the cabo cantonal was the only person in the area who spoke Spanish. They say, "hablaba un espanol medio machucado."

After that the local people had the true welcome for which they prepared great quantities of food and sang and danced all night, thus keeping the teacher up, who like many Ladinos, was accustomed to be in bed before 8 p.m.

In spite of the party, the children where at the school long before the teacher. The cabo had told them school started at 8 a.m., but since no one had a watch, they just sent children to school before the mothers went to the field between 5 and 6 a.m.

Tired, having not slept well because of the festivities in his honor, the school teacher arrived. He began a long discourse about his fine family, where he had studied, his preparation for this labor, of which his audience of Miskito children understood not one word, since they did not speak Spanish.

Then the children noticed something crawling up the leg and then the shirt of the teacher. It was a large ant with a red head, the kind that will can cause a fever or even death. The children had been told about what an honor it was to have the first Spanish teacher in the area and now, right before their eyes, they were going to see him die the first day. Their eyes grew wide.

Finally one little boy called, "Maestro, maestro, papu, papu" which in Miskito means "teacher, teacher, ant, ant." However, the teacher thought the child had said "papo," which is Honduras slang for "fool."

The teacher became very angry, hauled the student in front of the class and began to beat him. "The teacher is not 'papo', he is a person indicated to teach civilization in this place." On and on he continued.

The child sat down satisfied. The ant had been shaken loose as a result of the rigorous beating he had been given, saving the teacher's life.

The Miskitos and Garifunas say they learned Spanish, "a pura garrote" (pure beatings), but the Miskitos also say, "a pura sangre" (by bleeding) they learned Spanish.

Miskito young people got an education while their parents often remained illiterate, or literate only in Miskito. There is no adult education in the Mosquitia. Some Young Miskitos got scholarships to study in Minas de Oro or Tegucigalpa. One mother wrote to her son away studying in this story told by Orfa Jackson, a native of Brus Laguna.

A mother wrote to her son. Throughout the letter there was no punctuation. At the end of the letter, there were lots of commas and periods. The mother wrote, "You who know about such things will know where these belong."

The organization in charge of Miskito bilingual education (CEBIMH) tried to find a story that would set the tone for the project. They chose the story of the cat and the mouse.

The cat was chasing the mouse, when the mouse ran into its hole. Later it thought it heard a dog barking. So it came out, thinking the cat was gone. The cat grabbed it immediately.

The mouse was confused and asked, "Where is the dog?" The cat smiled slyly. "With times as hard as they are, one has to be bilingual in order to eat." The cat had learned to speak dog, even though he still spoke like a cat, too. This is the idea of bilingual education, to learn Spanish, to learn it well, but to keep one's own language, too.

By Melanie Wetzel

There are many different courts in Honduras. All towns with more than 4,000 people will have at least one court, and the major cities will have several. These courts are separated into a hierarchy, and then further separated by the types of cases they hear, and further separated by territory, and so on. This brings up a major question: where will my case be heard?

The court that should hear your case is called the competent" court. There are several different ways to decide which is the competent court, so they are divided into classifications.

By reason of location. Using this reasoning there can be up to three possibilities: according to the location of the object (in a lawsuit over land or other property with a fixed location), the place of residence of the person being sued, or the location of the signing of a contract (if your contract states a location, all resulting legal actions must be handled in the courts of that location).

By reason of the amount. For amounts less than Lps. 1,000 the case is handled by the Juzgado de Paz and for greater amounts it is handled by the Juzgado de Letras.

By reason of the decision by the parties involved. When a person submits a lawsuit to a certain judge or court (through his lawyer) it is assumed that he is choosing this court. If the person being sued answers the suit without challenging the competence of that court, it is assumed that he is accepting that court as the competent one.

By reason of the persons involved. Some legal actions will take place in specific courts because of the individuals involved, such as the Juzgado de Menores for minors and military courts for active military personnel.

After a case has been assigned to a certain court, there can be a remission, or change of court for various reasons that could affect the judges impartiality, such as a relationship to one of the parties. The judge can remove himself or either one of the parties can ask that he/she be removed.

If one demandante (plaintiff) has more than one suit against the same demandado (defendant), all of them can be heard by the same judge in the same trial. If there is a counter-suit by the defendant, this can be heard in the same trial as the original suit too.

If you have any questions or comments on the Honduran Legal System, please write to Legal Forum in care of Honduras This Week.

Ojojona holds third annual Cultural Festival

By TELISHA WILLIAMS

Just voted most beautiful and most handsome Indians by applause from the audience, two residents from Ojojona smile for the camera. The event was just one of the many activities held during the celebration of the village's third annual cultural fair.

The tranquil, beautiful village of Ojojona enjoyed a festive celebration with many visitors from the surrounding communities this past weekend. The Association of Producers and Artisans of the Municipality of Ojojona, Honduras (APAMOH) was holding its third annual Culture Festival. Members organize the event each year in an effort to develop themselves as entrepreneurs, broaden the market for their products and also celebrate the unique culture and traditions of their community.

The festivities began on Thursday, Dec. 4 with the firing of the clay used for making pottery and ceramics, followed by a children's choir concert performed on the town square. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were filled with art exhibits, poetry readings, traditional costume contests, theatrical skits, and live music and singing. In between these events, there were plenty of games, competitions, and raffles. Meanwhile, the local ceramic workshops had their doors open, and visitors were invited to come inside and watch the artists paint their fresh-baked figurines.

A circle of temporary stands and booths were set up to display handmade crafts from as far away as Santa Barbara. Woven mats and baskets, crocheted Christmas tree ornaments, carved wooden boxes, red clay pottery, and a few of the usual trinkets, jewelry, and cassette tapes offered tourists a wide variety to choose from.

As dusk approached the cool mountain air carried the delicious smells of ground corn tamales, fried fruit pies, and wood burning fires. Locals went home to put on sweaters but returned later to gather on the town square and watch the variety of talent presented each evening.

Pat McIntyre, a Peace Corp volunteer who played a big role in helping organize the cultural event, said, "I'm pleased with the turnout; it has been very enjoyable working with all the artists and the community of Ojojona."

Turtles leave their mark on food, handcrafts, stories

By WENDY GRIFFIN

TRUJILLO -- Honduras has both salt and fresh water turtles. Both are called tortuga and are widely eaten. Miskitos, Garifunas, the Pech and Ladinos usually cook freshwater turtles in coconut cream, as soup or guisado. These turtles are so popular the Pech named a village for them -- Kulucu, a local name for land turtles. Nearby is the Hicotea River. Hicotea is a Spanish word for freshwater turtle.

Among the Pech, the mermaid or sirena takes care of the fish in the river. The mermaid looks like a big fish with nine eyes. Due to problems with the sirena, the turtles now also have their own keeper, according to this Pech legend told in El Carbon.

Once a men went fishing. He was a very good fisherman. So when he saw this large fish, he decided to try to spear it with a vara (a long wooden spear made of mangelete wood and passed though fire to harden it). But it was not a fish, it was the sirena. Instead, he was captured by the sirena who intended to punish him for taking so many fish and being greedy enough to try to kill her. She set him to work taking care of the alligators. (Rio Lagarto or Alligator River is not far from Río Hicotea).

Since she no longer had a husband to provide for her, the man's wife went out to fish. She was fishing with a vara when she saw this huge creature near the rocks. She decided to try to spear it. The sirena captured her, too. Her task was to take care of the kulucus or turtles.

When the couple's children came to look for them, the sirena showed the children where their parents were, but told them she could not set their parents free. The river turtles belong to the Sirena, just like the fish and the alligators.

After eating turtle, you are still left with the shell. Land turtle shells are used as drums for both Garifuna and Miskito music. Maracas made of turtle shells are known to artisans like Dennis Gotay, but are not common here.

Some Garifuna artists paint on the turtle shells. Gil Bermudez explains he does not kill turtles for their shells, but rather his neighbors give him the shells of the turtles they eat so that they will not go to waste.

The Miskitos also include turtles in their art. Note cards with turtles made of colored and cut tunu bark are a popular gift item. They are made by a women's cooperative on the Patuca River and are sold by the Organization for the Development of the Mosquitia (MOPAWI).

One turtle story told in Honduras has also been told in the United States. In Honduras, it is told as the race between the rabbit and the turtle, or sometimes it is changed to the deer and the turtle. In the Lenca areas, too high up for turtles, it is told as the race between the deer and the frog.

In the United States, this story is known as the race between Brother Terrapin (a kind of land turtle) and Brother Bear. It is part of the collection of Uncle Remus stories told by Southern Blacks, same as Br'er Rabbit stories.

The folk hero of the Yoruba people of Nigeria is the turtle who appears in U.S. tales as Brother Terrapin and in Honduran tales as "La Tortuga." This is how both the U.S. tale and the Honduran tale have a common origin.

The rabbit (or the deer) often made fun of the turtle about how slowly it moved. This angered the turtle, so he suggested that they have a race to see if it was true he was so slow. They marked and the rabbit agreed.

That night the turtle got together with his family of turtles. He explained the plan. He would start out the race. The other turtles should be in the creeks all among the course. When they saw the rabbit coming, they should crawl out of the creek. The last turtle should walk across the finish line when he saw the rabbit coming. Since the whole turtle family looked alike, they thought this plan would work.

The day of the race, both the turtle and the rabbit started off. The rabbit sped ahead. Thus he was very surprised to see the turtle crawling out of the stream in front of him. After that he tried to run faster. But when he got to the creek, there was the turtle getting out of the water ahead of him. The same thing happened when he got to the next creek.

The rabbit was very surprised, but kept running to the finish line. But as he looked up to the cross the finish line, there was the turtle. "What took you so long? I have been waiting for you," the turtle said. The rabbit had to admit defeat. The turtle was able to win because of the cooperation of the whole turtle family.

Although turtle stories and songs are doing well, the turtle itself is facing difficult times. Garifunas, Ladinos and Pech have seen turtle populations drop so low that they fear its extinction. Over hunting may be the cause of this decline, but no studies have been conducted to find out "Que pasa con la tortuga?" (What is happening with the turtle?) as asked in the La Tortuga song.

According to Pech myths, killing too many turtles is punished by illness, death, disappearance of all the fish or turtles. The Pech would believe that it is caused by mermaids, but it may have some more mundane cause like pollution, especially from agricultural runoff into Honduras' streams.

Are Bay Island duppies part of the Mafia?

By WENDY GRIFFIN

TRUJILLO -- There is a mafia in my backyard. In Honduras, mafia does not mean a member of an international crime ring, like drug smugglers. Among both the Miskitos and Garifunas mafia is translated as "diablos" -- spirits of deceased persons who for some reason are stuck on earth, or ghosts. When words are the same in Garifuna and Miskito, this often indicates an African origin since both cultures are mixed with people of African descent.

The mafia in my backyard is famous, and he lives in the stream or suampo in this part of Cristales. In this stream, which is no deeper than four inches, there is reportedly a well-lit ghost boat. This boat sails up and down the stream, captained by a devil or mafia, claim my neighbors who burn incense to keep him away during ceremonies.

Mafia like this are there because they are the guardians of buried treasures, says Claudio Mejia. There are two ways to find buried treasure. One is by lights that appear at night. These are almas en pena, souls that are in pain, because they left some unfinished business on earth, such as telling their descendants where they hid their money.

Among both the Miskitos and Garifunas mafia is translated as "diablos" -- spirits of deceased persons who for some reason are stuck on earth, or ghosts.

The Miskitos still maintain a ceremony where these lights talk to the sukya or shaman, and tell him the message of whatever business it is that prevents them from going to the land of their ancestors. For example, in one ceremony a spirit said, "This person owes me Lps. 200." The family collected the debt, and the person who owed it had to pay, reports Aurelio Ramos, a Miskito Indian involved in writing Miskito history for Honduran school children.

GUARDIANS OF TREASURE

Among the Garifunas and Bay Islanders, the spirits who guard buried treasure usually reveal its location in dreams. For example, one woman who lived outside of Palacios in the Mosquitia, was told in a dream the location of the treasure of William Pitt, the founder of the English Black River settlement in the 1700s. She found the treasure and part of it was used to build the medical center of the Garifuna community of Batalla, says Feliciano Kirrington, a Miskito from Barra Patuca.

Stories about ghosts who guard treasures are very common in the Bay Islands, reports Arnold Auld of Roatan. These ghosts are called "duppies," a word also common in Jamaica that is possibly of Akan origin, the family of languages in Ghana. The mafia of the Garifunas and the duppies of the Bay Islands are similar in many ways.

Sebastian Marin, a Garifuna from Trujillo, tells of mafia who grab people who are out at sea and after two days their families find them in the bush. Dorn Ebanks, native of Roatan, tells of a similar experience his uncle Dorn had with a sea duppy.

Both the mafia and duppies like to live in el monte, the bush. Some Islanders, like Auld, wonder it there are less duppies now because with all the tourism development, since there is less bush for the duppies to live in. The cave of Father Red Cap, a famous duppy in West End, still exists, but no one has seem him lately, reports West End native John Wood.

At certain times the mafia are more dangerous. One time is during dugu ceremonies for ancestors, when the mafia in the bush come closer to enjoy the music. The Garifunas traditionally did not farm when there was a dugu ceremony in the village.

STORIES WITH A MORAL

The other time is at noon. Garífuna mothers used to make their children, particularly their daughters, stay home at noon, reports Justa Silveria Gotay of Trujillo. In a traditional story or uraga, a little girl wanted to see would happen if she went to the beach at noon. She went and a sea spirit grabbed her. Her family thought she was dead, and even gave a banquet for the deceased called chugu.

The girl was finally rescued by a fish she had fed previously. But her mother would not let her in the house because she thought the girl was a ghost. The tale ends, "And I came here today to tell you this story of what happens to children who do not listen to the authority of their parents."

Most cultures have some kind of spirit that grabs bad children, frightening them into being good. Some Garifunas feel that these traditional tales are no longer told enough, or that children do not understand them, because the tales are mostly told in the Garífuna language, which fewer and fewer children understand. Some Garifunas believe that many community problems -- such as crime, prostitution and drugs -- are due to the failure to teach young people their social values through these stories and songs.

Bay Islands culture is even more endangered. Few people make an effort to get children away from television long enough to tell them traditional stories. Others have reported that is difficult to get Bay Islanders to tell traditional stories that they call "lies," since as Evangelical Christians, they should not tell "lies." Many Bay Islanders also no longer sing traditional songs and perform the dances of their culture, because Christian sects on the Bay Islands disapprove of dancing. Whatever cultural values these taught or historical connections they showed may soon be lost.

Don't go off half-cocked; know the gun laws

By Melanie Wetzel

When I lived in the United states I was not a big fan of guns. I was generally in favor of anti-gun laws. Then I moved to Honduras. Have you noticed that the police here go home at 6 p.m. just like everybody else? They also have no highway patrol. So at night or when you are on the road you are left to your own devices.

This week I am going to tell you a little about the laws relating to guns here in Honduras, as well as some general information for gun buyers or gun owners.

To carry a gun (arma) in Honduras, you need a gun permit. To get a gun permit you must first register your gun. To do so, take a copy of the receipt to the municipal offices, and register it just as you would a car. If you live in a big city where the municipal offices are crowded and present long lines, it is an option to go to a smaller town to register your gun. Then take the registration form to the Department of Defense, along with your passport or residency card, a photo, and Lps. 50. This is a process that can be handled by the expediters that I have mentioned in the past, who specialize in this type of tramites.

Once you have your gun permit, which is valid for two years, you may carry your gun at any time, and in any manner. Most banks and discos will make you leave your weapons at the door.

If you are considering buying a gun here in Honduras, La Armeria is a large chain of gun shops. They have a huge selection of guns, and are one of the few places that can sell bullets legally. They have locations in most major cities, including Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Danli. If you decide to look for a used gun, be very cautious. If you buy a used gun, and that gun was involved in a crime, when you have the gun in your possession you could easily be accused of having committed the crime. For this same reason, if your gun is ever stolen you must report it immediately.

The only shooting range I have been able to locate is in San Pedro Sula, in the Avenida Circunvalacion, across from Confetti's Disco. They charge Lps. 50 per half hour for practice time and will also rent a gun for you to practice with for Lps. 25 per half hour. For more information, contact La Armeria in San Pedro.

If you own a gun and need some repair work done on it, or if you need advice on caring for a gun, talk to Salvador Majano, at Taller Majano. Majano is from the United States, and after working for the Standard Fruit Co. for many years, he and his wife have retired to Honduras and opened Taller Majano, on the Calle Real of Comayaguela, specializing in gun repair. In fact, a lot of the information for this column, and about guns in general, came from Majano.

Jungle Tails:
El General

By SARA MORRIS SWETCHARNIK

I spend most of the day working on a portrait of the spider monkey named El General. He is a favorite of the zoo employees. I often see the guards stopping to talk to him or scratch his neck. When I stop by his cage he likes to take off my shoes and gives me a foot massage.

My previous attempts at sculpting El General had not turned out as well as I would have liked. Finally I am pleased with this version. As I am finishing it, suddenly the monkey reaches out of his cage and grabs at my sculpture. It is almost out of reach, but he is able to knock it to the ground, completely ruining it. El General screams at me: I scream back at him.

The guard runs over to see what is upsetting us. El General is now cowering in the corner of his cage shaking his head no every time I point my finger at him shouting, "Malo, malo -- bad monkey!"

The guard points at El General and starts laughing. The monkey covers his face in utter humiliation.

Sara Morris Swetcharnik is a sculptor and writer of narratives. For the past two years her subjects have mainly been animals native to Central America, and especially those at the El Picacho zoo in Tegucigalpa.

Vibrations of art

Triunfo de la Cruz is an example of Joel Castillo's more realistic style. The artist is also famous for his abstracts in bright acrylics.

Joel Castillo, born in El Paraíso, produces works that "express the movements of air, light waves, the sound of musical instruments and the vibration of movement." The artist, who has been recognized throughout Latin America and the world, uses bright oils to create his typical Honduran scenes and abstract designs.

His current exhibit, "Los Dos Universos de Joel Castillo," will be on display in the Salón Cultural of the Instituto Hondureño de Cultura Hispánica Thursday, Dec. 4 beginning at 7 p.m.

For the vegetable starved, try the Lie Hsen Chinese restaurant

By WENDY GRIFFIN

It is a well known fact that from Central Honduras to the Amazonian rain forest, no indigenous group eats vegetables. As mixed descendants, Honduras' mestizos who own almost all the restaurants serve few if any vegetables. If on an extended tour of Central America, many tourists become starved for nice, hot cooked vegetables. Even a typical Honduran "vegetable" soup with green bananas, manioc (yuca), and sweet potatoes is still short on including vegetables.

If you are starving for cooked vegetables in a clean peaceful setting, try Lie Hsen located off of Tegucigalpa's Central Park. One entrance is on the street between the Hotel Prado and Tegucigala's City Hall. The other entrance is next to City Hall in the passageway of the Fiallos Solo Building.

One of the specialties of this restaurant is a dish with pataste, broccoli, green beans, zucchini and carrots in cream sauce. Pataste is a pale green vegetable grown on vines, also called "prickly pear" in English and chayote in Mexican Spanish and Nahuatl. Cooked pataste is also cut in slices, covered in an egg batter, and fried, which is also very tasty. The mashed potatoes were excellent.

The restaurant is set up for fast cafeteria-style service. Upon reaching the line, you have a choice of the plate of the day (Lps. 20), just chop suey or fried rice (Lps. 16 or Lps. 25) or a combination plate of three dishes (Lps. 34). Many of the dishes include meat or shrimp with vegetables. They also serve a variety of soups. From the time we came in until we were seated with our menu was only 10 minutes, a modern miracle for most Honduran restaurants.

Some of the names of the Chinese foods might surprise you. How do you say egg roll in Spanish? Well, if it is a thin piece of dough rolled up with a filling, it must be a taco. So egg rolls are called tacos chinos (Lps. 16 for four). Fried wan ton is called mariposas (butterflies).

Beyond the main dishes are the desserts. Usually, they have a selection of fruit salad, lemon merengue pie (pie de limon), rice pudding (arroz con leche) and a special Honduran cake called tres leches. One of the three kinds of milk used in this dessert is sweetened condensed milk, then there is icing on top. If you have problems with sugar, this is not the dessert for you.

The restaurant has typical Chinese decorations, such as the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and the God of Wealth. Just eating here might make you healthier, as the chairs are all carved with the symbol of long life, which is supposed to help make that come true.

Look in the corner of the window at the plant called mother-in-law's tongue (lengua de suegra). This plant is a popular border plant because it is supposed to keep away snakes. It is also used around Honduras as a snake bite cure. Still, you should not be in much danger from snakes as this restaurant is in the heart of Tegucigalpa, convenient by bus from everywhere.

There is a bathroom downstairs and lots of seating upstairs. The cashier/manager speaks enough English to help you order soft drinks, beer or fruit drinks. The day we went, there was horchata (toasted ground rice drink), nance (krabow juice), pineapple, passion fruit and carrot juice. The soft music encourages conversation.

The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, but it is closed on Sunday. It mostly serves a strong lunch crowd. When you have friends coming in from the campo, this is a nice place to go. Lots of people agree, since this restaurant has been open at this high-rent location for almost 20 years.

Vacations and breaks for employees in Honduras

By Melanie Wetzel

Labor laws in Honduras are strict and designed to give the employee an advantage, because he/she is considered the weaker of the two parties. In addition, it is a basic premise of Labor Law that when in doubt, the judge will rule in favor of the employee.

This can cause a lot of grief and expense for employers who are unaware of all their obligations. The reason that many employers get away with poor working conditions for their employees is two-fold: first of all, because of a lack of education, many workers do not know their rights, and secondly, many people need their job so badly that they are not willing to demand that their employer fulfill his obligations.

So, as an employer, you might be able to get away with not offering all the benefits established under the law, if your employee never takes you to court or to the Labor Board. But if they do sue, they will probably win.

This week we will look at the shifts, breaks and vacations that the law regulates for employees.

The standard work shift is eight hours during the day, six hours at night (after 7 p.m.) and seven hours if the shift includes both day and night hours. Extra hours beyond these limits, must be paid an overtime charge. If the extra hours are in the day, they are paid 125 percent of the regular wage, a regular day shift that is prolonged into the nighttime hours must be paid at 150 percent of the regular wage, and nighttime hours which extend beyond the ordinary shift are paid 175 percent.

For every six days worked there must be one day of rest, preferably Sunday. The following days are national holidays that are paid vacation for workers: Jan. 1, April 14, May 1, Sept. 15, Oct. 3, 12, 21, Dec. 25, and the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Easter Week. If the employee works the holiday, he or she must be paid double time, and still has the right to a day of vacation during the following week. If the holiday falls on the normal day of rest, it still must be paid.

Workers also receive a paid vacation after a year of service. The first year they receive 10 days, after two years of service they receive 12 days, after three years they receive 15 days and after four years they receive 20 days every year.

Some of these regulations are only valid if your contract doesn't specify otherwise. A good lawyer with experience in Labor Law (Derecho Laboral, or Social) will be able to tell you exactly which specifications you can make in your contract in regard to working extra hours or vacation days.