CULTURAL |
CULTURAL |
Monday, December 27, 1999 Online Edition 189 |
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Holiday drinks that warm the spirit
By ROSIBEL PACHECO DE GUTIERREZ "This punch is for drinking in cold weather. In Marcala, La Pits, it is usually prepared for the Christmas season or for any other big party. It should always served very hot and the strong, delicious aroma can be smelt by bringing the cup up close to your face." That is how Dona Olimpia de Contreras, from a well esteemed Marcala family, describes her famous punch which she calls Ponche Infernal. This punch is also a tradition in La Esperanza, Intibuca. Here are the two recipes and another one given to us by a lady in Tegucigalpa. Infernal Punch from Marcala
Wash and peel pineapple, cut in half. Boil the peelings in a the liter of water. After boiling, strain and discard peelings, keep water. Mix cinnamon, cloves and pepper in a small cloth bag and sew bag closed. Cut pineapple pulp in very small pieces and boil in water used to boil the peels. Add sugar and bag of aromatic spices, boil for half an hour. Pour aguardiente in a metallic bowl, and then light with a match, you should have a blue flame, let burn for 2 minutes. Then put fire out and add the pineapple mixture. Serve hot. Infernal Pineapple and Coconut Punch from La Esperanza Actually, this is two punches in one. They must be prepared separately.
Peel pineapple. Boil peelings in water. After boiling, strain and discard peelings, keep water. Cut pineapple into tiny pieces. Peel and grate coconut. Bring coconut, pineapple, ginger, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, lemon grass and sugar to boil, mixture should thicken. Keep warm until served. Before serving, add Aguardiente to your own taste. Milk Punch (Should be mixed with Esperanza Punch)
Beat egg yolks until they are thick and lemon colored. Beat egg whites to a froth and add to yolks. Boil milk, remove from heat and add eggs. Reheat this mixture, but do bring to boil, adding corn starch (dissolved in a bit of milk). When both punches are ready, serve in large cups. First half fill with Pineapple and Coconut Punch, and fill up with the Milk Punch which already has the aguardiente in it, but has not been stirred. The person who drinks it has to stir it. Serve hot or cold. Infernal Punch (Tegucigalpa recipe)
Peel pineapples and cut into small pieces. Place in small cloth bag, semi-crushed cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Boil pineapple, spices and sugar for half an hour. Remove from heat and immediately mix in aguardiente. Go ahead, dare to prepare any of these versions. Just remember to drink it in moderation and in the company of family and friends. |
Traditional games are back The Ministry of Culture's regional culture in San Pedro Sula, Cortes, Tela, El Progreso, Olanchito, Danli, Yuscaran, La Paz and Valle de Angeles have decided to promote traditional children's games that have fallen into disuse in recent years, such tops, jump rope, kites, and hopscotch. National poet Jose Gonzalez, the activity's promoter, said that this program will be applied as widely as possible to rescue this important aspect of Honduran cultural heritage that is steadily being lost to electronic games and television. Honduran delegation in Mexico A high-level Honduran delegation recently traveled to Mexico to determine what progress had been made by Mexican law enforcement authorities in the investigation of the theft of a valuable Mayan jade piece during an exhibit held in that country. The delegation included Attorney General Roy Edmundo Medina, Honduran Institute of History and Anthropology Director Olga Joya and INTERPOL Chief Allan Nagera. Meanwhile, a motion has been presented in the National Congress that seeks to increase insurance coverage of national treasures that are lent to exhibits abroad. Korea donates equipment to culture ministry The government of Korea recently donated office equipment worth Lps. 150,000 to the Ministry of Culture. Four computers, two printers, a scanner and a photocopier were received by Minister Herman Allan Padgett from Korean Ambassador Tea-Shik-Chung. The donation was obtained through the Ministry of International Cooperation and Technology (SETCO). Ministry sponsoring literary contest The Ministry of Culture is sponsoring the Casa de las Americas literary contest for Honduran writers. Participants should present unpublished works in the following genres: novels, essays of artistic topics, and literature. More information with Jorge Montenegro at tel. 236-9738. Taipei researcher visits Gallery Liu Mei-Lin, a researcher of the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, recently visited the facilities of the National Art Gallery in Tegucigalpa and the Fundacion Museo del Hombre Hondureno, as part of a working tour throughout Central America. Mei-Lin came here to choose eight art works to be presented at the Central American Contemporary Art Exhibit in Taipei.
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CULTURAL EVENTS ART AND HANDICRAFT EXHIBIT -- THROUGH JANUARY 18 -- The San Juancito Foundation invites the public to the Art and Handicraft Exhibit at El Crisol Cultural Center in Barrio Arriba, San Juancito. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day. San Juancito is located 60 minutes northeast of Tegucigalpa. NATIONAL ART GALLERY -- The Pro-Art and Culture Foundation and the National Gallery of Art have space available for cultural exhibits for the benefit of the victims of Hurricane Mitch. For more information, call 237-9884, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CHILDREN VIDEOS -- JANUARY 2 -- Teatro La Fragua in El Progreso, Yoro, is presenting movies for children Sundays at 3 p.m. Check out the following schedule: Dec. 12: George of the Jungle; Dec. 19: Elpidio Valdes; Dec. 26: The Prince of Egypt; Jan. 2: Antz. More information at tel. 647-0974. EL RINCON DEL CUENTO -- The regional office of the Ministry of Culture in San Pedro Sula inaugurated "El Rincon del Cuento" at the Museum of History and Anthropology to read and act out stories for children. More information at 557-1496. CHILDREN'S WORKSHOPS -- JANUARY 10-MARCH 15 -- The Centro Cultural Infantil of San Pedro Sula is offering carpentry, fine arts, contemporary dance and ballet workshops for children weekdays and Saturdays starting January 10. Three-year academic plans on dance and fine arts will also be available. The center also has an interesting program titled "The Reading Corner," offering young people a chance to read and listen to stories in a comfortable environment. For more information about CCI services, call 557-8639. ART, LEARNING & TUTORING FOR CHILDREN -- The Art and Education Center, BONAMPAK, at the Plaza Millennium, offers hourly art courses for children ages 6 to 12 on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Hourly reading courses for children ages 7 to 12 are being held on Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m., as well as for children ages 4 to 6. Tutoring services are also available. Call 222-5487 for more information. NATIVITY SCENE IN TONCONTIN -- THROUGH JANUARY 6 -- The Corporacion Aeroportuaria de Tegucigalpa (CAT) invites tourists and the public in general, to visit the traditional nacimiento prepared at the Toncontin International Airport. The nativity scene is located 20 meters from the airport's parking exit and it is open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. More information at 233-2827. PRAYER FOR HONDURAS -- DECEMBER 30 -- First Lady Mary Flores will celebrate the first Oracion por Honduras (Prayer for Honduras) at the Tiburcio Carias Andino National Stadium in Tegucigalpa. For the first time, nine churches along with their members will gather to pray for a better future for the nation. ART DIRECTORY -- The Art From Latin America organization invites all regional painters, sculptors and authors to be registered in their Directory 2000, which seeks to identify and promote its participants internationally through the media, exhibits, auctions and other cultural activities. To register, please send slides or photographs of your best 10 works, as well as important documentation, art critics or names of collectors of your works to Box 1948 Murray Hill Station, New York, N.Y., 10156-0612, Tel/Fax 212-683-2136. PUPPETS -- SUNDAYS -- Teatro Bambu has puppet shows every Sunday at D'Barro restaurant in Col. Alameda in Tegucigalpa at 10:30 a.m. Admission is Lps. 20 per person. CLUBS 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 239-9779 or 239-9778. AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS -- Al-Anon helps the relatives and friends of problem drinkers. Groups meet weekly in Colonia Alameda (Saturday afternoons) and Colonia Loarque (Sunday evenings). For more information, contact Amanda at 239-2698 (Spanish) or Margaret at 226-6576 (English). ENGLISH SPEAKING WOMEN'S CLUB -- The ESWC is hosting a lecture on the anthropological work of George Hasemann at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 at the Hotel Honduras Maya in Col. Palmira of Tegucigalpa. The lecture, which will be followed by a tea, is open to the public for an admission fee of Lps. 60. For more information, call Sara at 211-8369. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS -- Having problems with drugs, alcohol? Meetings are held in Spanish every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Colonia Palermo, Ave. Juan Manuel Galvez, 1 calle # 1836. For more information, call Ricardo at 991-9417 or 232-8989. 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 |
MUSEUMS & GARDENSTEGUCIGALPAMUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM NATIONAL ART GALLERY IGUANA FARM COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUACOMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM COMAYAGUA RELIGIOUS MUSEUM LA PAZ, LA PAZLA PAZ HOUSE OF CULTURE SAN PEDRO SULA, CORTESSPS MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND HISTORY MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA YUSCARAN, EL PARAISOYUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE OLANCHOPECH CULTURAL CENTER COPANCOPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM LA PUENTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM TELA, ATLANTIDALANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS GARIFUNA MUSEUM LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDABUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM TRUJILLOTRUJILLO RUFINO GALAN MUSEUM ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDSCARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS BAY ISLANDS MUSEUM |
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Monday, December 20, 1999 Online Edition 188 |
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Virginia Castillo brings
Caribbean colors to
By WENDY GRIFFIN "I never learned to paint [in a formal setting]," says Virginia Castillo whose works are on display at the Gallery of Caribbean Art "Virgie" in La Ceiba. "Since I was born, I think, I began drawing and painting." A La Ceiba native with Jamaican roots, Castillo moved with her family to the Bay Islands at a very early age. There she grew up, got married and had a son. When her son was old enough for high school, she returned to La Ceiba so he could study at the bilingual school there. Castillo's paintings are characterized by people, animals and designs painted in the brilliant colors one sees under the bright tropical sun. "Sometimes I just sit down to paint and an idea just flows onto the paper. I don't know where it comes from. There I see what it is and I work on it until I think it is done." The move to La Ceiba has changed her paintings somewhat. "I used to just paint about the Bay Islands. But now I see the need to include La Ceiba in my paintings, too." "There are a lot of old wooden houses here in La Ceiba. My grandfather built many of them. But when I go and look for them, they are gone. In the next five years, you will see more of these houses torn down to build new things." "So in the next few years, you will see these old houses in my paintings and in these pen and ink drawings. Now you can mostly see these houses in the Mazapan district where Standard Fruit is. Not just anyone can go in there, though." Looking at her notecards, you can see some of her cloth applique pieces of Bay Islands villages that she did 15 years ago. "I would have these scraps of cloth and I would just sew them together. First I put them on shirts and later made some for the wall. They took me about three months to make each one. People would buy them from me. I will not make any more because my eyesight is not what it used to be." She added, "Other women could make them, though. For a long time I was living in an isolated part of the Bay Islands and I did not know anything about Honduran art. Now I am in La Ceiba. I am surprised at the general lack of creativity, the lack of art." She tries to instill the love of art in young children who come to visit her gallery from a nearby school. "Look at this. He has done an applique turtle." The young artist, a Hispanic boy about 10 years old, shows his pictures to the visitors in the gallery. It is easy to see why some of these children have no art in their lives. One Miskito boy who lives on the street with his father paralyzed from the bends in a diving accident comes into the gallery to leave his shoes there after school. "They would steal them," he says as he leaves for a neighborhood scarred by gang graffiti on the walls. Virginia Castillo's original paintings, mostly watercolors, sell for between US$250 and $600. Her notecards are Lps. 14 and T-shirts are US$12. Her gallery, open 1 - 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, is located opposite the Flamingo Plaza Hotel near the beach, 1o Calle between 14 de Julio and Ave. Ramon Rosa, La Ceiba (tel. 440-0666). Her cards and T-shirts are also available in Roatan at Yaba Ding Ding, near the Warren Grocery Store in Coxen Hole. Try Garifuna dances for a merry ChristmasBy WENDY GRIFFIN Many people are sad at Christmas time. They are single and far from home during this time for families. Some have lost a spouse, a child or other person they loved, so Christmas brings many memories of Christmas trees and special foods that will never be shared again. For people who suffer from Christmas blues, experts recommend being busy doing something special. Since Christmas is dance season among the Garifunas of Honduras, a stay in a Garifuna village like Trujillo, Santa Fe or Triunfo de la Cruz offers distractions and shared happiness for sad travellers. Before Christmas Eve, the women's dance club gets together to sing culiau and/or parranda. These songs have dances similar to punta. Parranda can be performed in lines of dancers that face the drum. There is no set date for these dances, so you have to ask "Cuando van a bailar los clubes de danzas?" (When will the dance clubs perform?) The real Christmas dance season begins Dec. 24, when the Christmas Herald or Warini dances in the afternoon. This male dancer is covered with plants. In the Bay Islands town of Sandy Bay, this dance was called John Canoe. The dancer is supposed to dance all over town, probably bringing fertility. The Warini is also supposed to dance out on Jan. 6 or 15, depending on the community. Only in traditional Garifuna communities like Limon and Santa Rosa does the Warini still dance out Christmas (botar el Warini), while in the Bay Islands English-speaking communities this tradition has died out, partly because of the growth of churches that oppose dancing. The nights of Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 the women dance clubs perform all night, from about 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The dance is called sanguity or jungujungu. The women dance in rows. The songs are written in Garifuna with a soloist leader and a choral response. The instruments that accompany these songs include Garifuna drums, maracas, and a conch shell horn. The conch shell plays the same role and similar rhythms in Garifuna music as the impala horn in African Congo music. In West African countries like Ghana, the women's dance clubs are responsible for organizing festivals. During the Christmas/New Year season (which is the same as the Kwanza season in the United States) Garifuna women's clubs fulfill the same role. Even the custom of uniforms and the wearing of head scarfs are the same. Garifuna villages have from one to five dance clubs each. In Trujillo, Catholic church leaders also organize pastorelas. Groups of 30 to 60 girls go from house to house to sing to the baby Jesus in his creche. They dance in lines and accompany the music with rattles and the click of their shepherds' staffs. The tradition of pastorelas continues every evening between Dec. 24 and Jan. 6. The dance represents the shepherds when they went to see the Baby Jesus. Christmas is also a time for firecrackers, disco dances, and midnight mass, as well as wearing new clothes and visiting friends and relatives who have come back from the United States. In Trujillo, Los Menudos and a new band will play until the wee hours of the morning. Try a new nightclub in Trujillo, by following the road to Santa Fe over the bridge and the around the corner. Many people will be there to hear the drums. To give the drummers and singers some time to sleep, the next activity begins Christmas morning about 10 a.m. Garifuna children do not wait for presents. Instead, they anxiously await the coming of the Indio Barbaro (Barbarian Indian) and the Mascaro dancers. Indio Barbaro is covered in achiote (anetto seeds), oil and clay, so he is red. He dresses in a breech cloth and carries a bow and arrow to hold up people. You must give him one lempira to avoid being painted with achiote. This mixture of achiote, oil and clay is thought to be the insect repellant of Taino Indians on Caribbean islands, and this is reason they were called red skins. Even the coconut oil alone will keep insects away. Some dancers use a lot of humor in this game that is played from house to house. Since he is a barbarian, he does not speak, but uses a whistle. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the streets of Cristales, Trujillo ring out with the screams of running children and the shrill whistle of the attacking Indio Barbaro. Christmas Day and New Year's Day is when the Mascaro dancers perform. In Garifuna, the dance is called Wanaragua (The Dance of Warriors). In the Bay Islands, it is called John Canoe. In the English-speaking Caribbean, John Canoe refers to a whole cycle of Christmas dances, 14 of which are still performed by the Garifunas. There are a lot of Christmas dances, as the dances from any African ceremony had to be performed during the 12 days of Christmas, the only time the slaves had free time during the day. The name John Canoe refers to a slaver, John Canby, in Ghana. Among the Belizean Garifunas, this dance is still performed in an imitation British army uniform, but in Honduras it is danced in women's clothes. Traditionally, only men participate in this dance, although the dancers are so completely masked with socks, skirts, gloves, flowered ribbon shirts and crowns that women could dance it without anyone knowing. There are a number of different steps, all very energetic. The individual dancers go to the center of the ring and shows off their steps. This is the only Garifuna dance where the drummers follow the dancer, rather than the dancers following the drum. The steps seem to come from different parts of Western Africa, including the Songhey. A chorus sings Wanaragua songs that few people know any more. The songs tell the philosophy of Garifuna men. In the Bay Islands, the people of Flowers Bay no longer dance to the drum on the road to Coxen Hole, in part because of Protestant churches that do not believe in dancing. In Trujillo, the center of the dance activity is the beach road near GariArte or the Casa Comunal. In traditional Garifuna communities like Limon and Batalla (across from Palacios in the Rio Platano Biosphere), other dances that are half theater and half dance take place each day between Dec. 26 and Jan. 15, such as Brisi Lama and Coreopatea. As Hurricane Mitch reconstruction is well advanced, this year can be one of great celebration. |
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CULTURAL EVENTS COLLECTIVE PAINTING EXHIBIT -- THROUGH DECEMBER 23 -- The Honduran Institute of Hispanic Culture (IHCH) is holding an exhibit of painting and photography titled Nuestros Artistas, by Honduran talents Joel Castillo, Ramon Garay, Mauricio Garay, Koslova, Humberto Prats, Nicolaza Hernandez and Donaldo Caceres. The IHCH is located in Col. Lomas del Guijarro, Ave. Rep. Dominicana, Tegucigalpa. More information at 232-5578. ART AND HANDICRAFT EXHIBIT -- THROUGH JANUARY 18 -- The San Juancito Foundation invites the public to the Art and Handicraft Exhibit by the San Juancito workshop and La Escuela Magica, to be inaugurated today at El Crisol Cultural Center in Barrio Arriba, San Juancito. The event will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day. San Juancito is located 60 minutes northeast from Tegucigalpa. CHRISTMAS MUSICAL PLAY -- DECEMBER 26 -- The La Fragua Theater of El Progreso Yoro and the local ballet school will present the musical play Bailarines en Navidad (Dancers at Christmas) at 8 p.m. at the Las Mercedes Church. More information at 666-0974. CHILDREN VIDEOS -- DECEMBER 26, JANUARY 2 -- Teatro La Fragua in El Progreso, Yoro, is presenting movies for children Sundays at 3 p.m. Check out the following schedule: Dec. 12: George of the Jungle; Dec. 19: Elpidio Valdes; Dec. 26: The Prince of Egypt; Jan. 2: Antz. More information at tel. 647-0974. EL RINCON DEL CUENTO -- The regional office of the Ministry of Culture in San Pedro Sula inaugurated "El Rincon del Cuento" at the Museum of History and Anthropology to read and act out stories for children. More information at 557-1496. CHILDREN'S WORKSHOPS -- JANUARY 10-MARCH 15 -- The Centro Cultural Infantil of San Pedro Sula is offering carpentry, fine arts, contemporary dance and ballet workshops for children weekdays and Saturdays starting January 10. Three-year academic plans on dance and fine arts will also be available. Meanwhile, the center has an interesting program titled "The Reading Corner" offering young people a chance to read and listen to stories in a comfortable environment. For more information about CCI services, call 557-8639. ART, LEARNING & TUTORING FOR CHILDREN -- The Art and Education Center, BONAMPAK, at the Plaza Millennium, offers hourly art courses for children ages 6 to 12 on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Hourly reading courses for children ages 7 to 12 are being held on Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m., as well as for children ages 4 to 6. Tutoring services are also available. Call 222-5487 for more information. CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH -- DECEMBER 21 -- Children and grown-ups are invited to the Bay Island's West Ends Third Annual Christmas on the Beach to take place next Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. Attractions will include a Santa's Kazoo Parade, fireworks, a parade of boats, a limbo contest and other fun activities. More information at e-mail: paradise@globalnet.hn PRAYER FOR HONDURAS -- DECEMBER 30 -- Honduran First Lady Mary Flores will celebrate the first Oracion por Honduras (Prayer for Honduras) at the Tiburcio Carias Andino National Stadium in Tegucigalpa. For the first time, nine churches along with their members will gather to pray for a better future for the nation. ART DIRECTORY -- The Art From Latin America organization invites all regional painters, sculptors and authors to be registered in their Directory 2000, which seeks to identify and promote its participants internationally through the media, exhibits, auctions and other cultural activities. To register, please send slides or photographs of your best 10 works, as well as important documentation, art critics or names of collectors of your works to Box 1948 Murray Hill Station, New York, N.Y., 10156-0612, Tel/Fax 212-683-2136. PUPPETS -- SUNDAYS -- Teatro Bambu has puppet shows every Sunday at D'Barro restaurant in Col. Alameda in Tegucigalpa at 10:30 a.m. Admission is Lps. 20 per person. CLUBS 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 239-9779 or 239-9778. AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS -- Al-Anon helps the relatives and friends of problem drinkers. Groups meet weekly in Colonia Alameda (Saturday afternoons) and Colonia Loarque (Sunday evenings). For more information, contact Amanda at 239-2698 (Spanish) or Margaret at 226-6576 (English). ENGLISH SPEAKING WOMEN'S CLUB -- The ESWC is hosting a lecture on the anthropological work of George Hasemann at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 at the Hotel Honduras Maya in Col. Palmira of Tegucigalpa. The lecture, which will be followed by a tea, is open to the public for an admission fee of Lps. 60. For more information, call Sara at 211-8369. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS -- Having problems with drugs, alcohol? Meetings are held in Spanish every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Colonia Palermo, Ave. Juan Manuel Galvez, 1 calle # 1836. For more information, call Ricardo at 991-9417 or 232-8989. 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 |
MUSEUMS & GARDENSTEGUCIGALPAMUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM NATIONAL ART GALLERY IGUANA FARM COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUACOMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM COMAYAGUA RELIGIOUS MUSEUM LA PAZ, LA PAZLA PAZ HOUSE OF CULTURE SAN PEDRO SULA, CORTESSPS MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND HISTORY MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA YUSCARAN, EL PARAISOYUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE OLANCHOPECH CULTURAL CENTER COPANCOPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM LA PUENTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM TELA, ATLANTIDALANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS GARIFUNA MUSEUM LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDABUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM TRUJILLOTRUJILLO RUFINO GALAN MUSEUM ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDSCARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS BAY ISLANDS MUSEUM |
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Monday, December 13, 1999 Online Edition 187 |
Documentary of a murder New play examines the facts and feelings of Riccy Martinez killing
The tragic story of the murder of Riccy Mabel Martinez has been written as a play by Honduran playwright Rafael Murillo-Selva Rendon. "Creo que nadie es capaz de mentir" (I don't think anyone is capable of lying) is a powerful reenactment of the tragedy. It was written in close collaboration with the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH) and is based on court records and hours of interviews with the people involved. The play is, in fact, journalism and does a convincing job of accurately recreating the circumstances before and after the murder. "I tried not to judge but rather leave the facts and let them speak for themselves," said Murillo in the introduction. Obviously not everything can be known and it was at those times the author allowed himself to imagine what may have happened. The 1991 murder and rape of 18-year-old Martinez struck a strong chord with the Honduran population at the time. Protests were held and the proceedings were watched very closely by the government and citizens alike. Murillo does his best to remain neutral but includes some criticism of the Honduran justice system and the handling of the case. It looks at some of the chauvinistic and class attitudes that impacted the trial and the result. Just last month, one of two men convicted of Martinez's murder was released after serving eight years in prison. Performances of the work first took place in 1995 but the written script was just made available this year. It is a worthy project and one which educates and informs while entertaining. It takes a critical look at the case that caught the hearts of a nation and the system which handled it. Special Christmas celebrations planned by St. Mary's St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Colonia Florencia Norte will celebrate the Christmas season with a traditional service of lessons and carols on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. This traditional candle-light festival consists of the reading of the Christmas story from the Bible in a series of nine lessons, each lesson followed by the singing of a traditional Christmas carol. Members of the congregation serve as readers, and everyone joins in the singing. Organist Miriam Rehill and Vicar Reverend Mary Lou McKenney have chosen a slate of carols that will be familiar to everyone. The congregation of St. Mary's is enthusiastically planning decorations, baking special Christmas refreshments to be served at the conclusion of the service, and preparing additional musical offerings that will alternate with congregational singing. Everyone in the community is cordially invited to share this unique service. On Christmas Eve, St. Mary's and its companion congregation Santa Maria de los Angeles will join together in the celebration of a bilingual Christmas Mass. The service will be at 7 p.m. and will be a joining of two congregations and two languages in one joyful celebration of the birth of Christ. For more information, call the church at 232-0353, or Rev. McKenney at 211-9169.
By SARA MORRIS SWETCHARNIK The Chuleta Saga: Boy Dixson and Chuleta Boy Dixson had been away and didn't realize the tradition the others had established with Chuleta -- you can actually squeeze the liquid from a gland on Chuleta's back. If this was not enough to turn one off, Chuleta had found an open septic line and would roll in the human feces. When Boy finished his melon and Chuleta came over and began to nudge him, Boy lost patience and told Chuleta to get out of his face. Eric said that Dixson should just give him the rind and he would be content. Boy gave the pig a shove. Eric intercepted and gave Chuleta his rind. As soon as Chuleta finished he was back at Boy Dixon demanding to be fed. Boy kicked Chuleta and Chuleta imbedded his tusks in the fat deposits, drawing blood. Boy lifted up a chair and said, come on you bastard, lets have it out. Chuleta started making a click click clic that turned more into a growl and his entire body was shaking with anger. The other members of the team managed to separate the two, but the event had already escalated into the unforgivable. Chuleta could not see boy ever again, with or without a rind, without getting completely pissed. Sara Morris Swetcharnik is a sculptor, painter and writer of narratives. After a Fulbright grant to Spain (1987-89), she became increasingly interested in the artistic representation of animals. Click here to view her work. |
First complete translated Bibles brought to
Honduran Miskitos
By MICHAEL COLEMAN TEGUCIGALPA -- After almost 25 years and at least $250,000, the first 2,000 complete Miskito bibles were delivered to La Mosquitia last month. The Mosquitia development organization (MOPAWI), the branches of the Honduran and Nicaraguan Bible Society and the Moravian church took part in the exhausting and expensive task of translating the Bible from Spanish to Miskito for the Nicaraguan and Honduran Miskito. Twenty thousand in all were brought out to the Miskito area. Local Miskitos took the Spanish text and went through the original with the aid of hired language consultants. Once in a while, they encountered challenging passages, and for more than spiritual reasons. "There are differences between the Miskito language of Nicaragua and Honduras and our translators would have to debate, which word should we use here?" says Jorge Gomez, secretary general of the Honduran Bible Society. Some concessions were made to get the best translation possible; to capture the sense of text as opposed to the literal meaning. And the meaning is obviously an important factor. "I believe they do believe in God," said Gomez. "And there was a demand. It was kind of exciting in the sense that there was already a desire to have the scriptures there." Orlando Calderone, a Miskito who works with the indigenous rights organization, COMPAH agrees. He says beliefs have changed over the years and thanks to the presence of many different churches, Miskitos generally do have that belief. "In the last 10 years or so there has been more Spanish influence and we have been using Spanish bibles. But this is a very important step toward the conservation of our culture and our language." The Miskito are in the process of trying to establish a bilingual education system and Calderone feels that "this project will be a great bridge for that." The Bible Society is currently finishing up the translation of a Garifuna bible. But once again, they faced the challenges of working with a non-formal language. "Garifuna is not an academic language," says Gomez. "You write what you hear. I asked once, is someone checking the literary style? But there's no such thing. The only thing you can check for is, if the message getting across." The Bible Society hopes to have the Garifuna translation ready for the middle of next year. For the moment, no translations have been done in Pech or Tawahka, the smaller Moskitia indigenous groups. |
Monday, December 6, 1999 Online Edition 186 |
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Honk if you like bread
Honduran family has been baking traditional bread along the PanAm Highway for 75 years Mouth-watering breads By ROSIBEL PACHECO DE GUTIERREZ Along the PanAmerican highway, south of Tegucigalpa, in an environment abounding with pleasant aromas, the songs of birds and glorious plants, traditional Honduran food can be savored. It is not too elaborate, but rather simple, delicious, Honduran food at a rural price. But the true attraction of this charming corner called "Comedor El Ocotal," 45 kilometers south of Tegucigalpa, is the delicious Honduran breads: rosquillas, quesadillas, rosquillas rellenas, tustacas and pan de yema, all of which have to be tasted to be believed. The founders of this place started the tradition of baking such breads on the side of the "Carretera del Sur." They came from San Marcos de Colon, in the department of Choluteca, near the border with Nicaragua, which is famous for its dairy products -- dairy products used in the making of the bread. It all started approximately 76 years ago when Teodora Benavides and one of her sisters, decided to come to work in Tegucigalpa as housemaids. They turned out to be excellent cooks. The two sisters met some Cubans who had a food business in a place called El Calvario, four kilometers from the current El Ocotal, and they went to work there.
"The place burned down later and they were left out in the street," says Oswaldo Benavides, Dona Teodora's nephew. "They decided to go on with their own business and established it in 1931 on the old highway (Calvario Numero 2)." Silvia Velasquez, daughter of the founder, and one of the present managers, says that when her mother and aunt had earned some money, they started to bring their relatives from San Marcos into the town of Duyure, including their grandmother. They made the trip on beasts of burden and by foot to the port of San Lorenzo; from there they rode in a car. They bought a plot of land on what is now called the old road. "My mother, Mrs. Francisca Herlinda Benavides Briceno, started what today is a prosperous and respectable business. About 50 years ago, the building burned down," says Silvia. "But her clients started to leave her money so that she could prepare them food for when they returned. Dona Paquita, as she was fondly known, did all this under a big, old mango tree. "When she had saved some money and when she found out that the road would be redirected, she bought a plot on the side of the new route. She served food under the tree by the old road while she built her comedor by the new road. My grandma stayed with my mom, and the other aunts left." The present "Ocotal" has been open for 45 years. On average, 200 people eat there everyday. Dona Paquita brought the traditions with her from San Marcos de Colon and pioneered the making of rosquillas along the southern road. Silvia says approximately 200 pounds of corn are used everyday, which gives an idea of the demand for the bread. But the pleasure is in the surroundings, too. In the ample and shady garden of the comedor, you can find animals like ducks, geese, macaws, a caracara, a pelican, a turkey and raccoons. You can enjoy the beautiful plants while walking in the cool breeze. "My mother loved nature. She always had animals in cages so children could see them," Silvia said. "There are many animals she set free but which never left. They are still here with us." Oswaldo Benavides says that in this story there are no men and that these women made a mark on his life. They were the Benavides women who dared to forge a dignified future for their descendants. |
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Pineapples,
guaro and cinnamon, are just some of the ingredients used to make Infernal
Punch, a traditional Christmas drink sure to get rid of any chill. (Photo by
Rosibel Pacheco.)
By
MICHAEL COLEMAN
