Honduras This Week Cultural

Honduras has more tamale varieties than you can taste in a week

Tamales

By WENDY GRIFFIN

The oldest form of Honduran food that we know of is probably the tamale. Corn grinding stones used to make these have been found in the ruins at Copan from 1300 BC.

The simplest tamales are called tamalitos de elote. This means they are made from mature corn (elote) and not from green corn (jilote), which is another class of tamales.

The first step is to take the dried corn kernels and cook them with ashes or lime to soften them up and lose their hard skins. Some archaeologists consider this the most important technological discovery of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Without this process, corn is missing one B vitamin, the lack of which leads to the nutritional disease. However, the process, known as nixtamalizar, releases this B vitamin, making a more balanced diet.

After boiling, the corn is ground, traditionally with corn grinding stones, now more recently with hand meat grinders. To this ground corn, only water is added before wrapping it up in the corn husk and boiling it.

In Tegucigalpa, one of the best places to get tamalitos de elote is Super Donuts, where they are usually served with mantequilla crema, Honduras' not really sour sour cream.

The process for green corn tamales is different because the corn is grated right off the cob and then ground. Add milk, salt, sugar and wrap it in corn husk leaves to cook. These are rarely sold.

With nothing else them, tamales are a little tasteless. Tamalitos de frijoles are made the same as other tamalitos, except refried beans and a little achiote are added. They are wrapped up and cooked. The woman is front of Hotel Prado in Tegucigalpa has sold these kind of tamales for years. You can take them home and reheat them for dinner.

Ticucos are similar. Prepare the corn as if for tamales. Mix with lard and salt. Fry the beans. Put refried beans in the center, sometimes with other spices like cilantro. Wrap up in corn husk leaves and cook. These are most commonly bought by tourists at the bus station in La Entrada, Copan, where people change buses to go to Copan Ruins. Part of the fun of Honduran bus travel are the sales people who make this a moving feast.

Montucas, like tamalitos de maiz verde, are made by grating the corn off the cob. Then they grind the corn. Add a little sugar, salt, milk, cloves, margarine and meat. Then cook it in the corn husk leaves. The main place tourists see these is in the bus station in Tocoa on the way to Trujillo. This version uses raw cane sugar are is very sweet.

The king of Honduran tamales is the nacatamal, a traditional Christmas food. Prepare the corn as if for tamales. Mix salt, cilantro, chili, lard, peas, onion, garlic, carrots, capers or olives, potatoes, achiote, a meat such as chicken or pork and put this in the center. Wrap up in plantain leaves and boil in water for 1-2 hours.

Tegucigalpa's Super Donut also has excellent nacatamales. If you come early, you can see the women who make them deliver them in huge tin cooking pots carried on their heads. Another good place to eat them is the Coca-Cola stand next to the Juan Brooks school in Coxen Hole, Roatan. This is probably the only lunch under $1 you can get on the Islands.

It is now easy to enjoy Honduran nacatamales at home, because the Honduran company Naturas makes them in reheatable foil pouches that you can buy for about Lps. 7 in grocery stores. These are about as good as the one you get eating out, but be sure you really heat them up hot. Otherwise the lard will be the predominant taste, not corn with achiote.

Tamales made from corn are the hallmark of Honduras' mesoamerican cultures. However, other Indian groups make tamales out of other food. For example, the Garifunas make sweet tamales of manioc yucca called , reports Enrique Martinez, owner of Garifuna Food restaurant in Cristales, Trujillo.

To make Dani, grate sweet yucca. Squeeze out the juice. Take the yucca flour and sift it in a basket sifter. Mix this together with coconut milk, cinnamon and raw cane sugar dissolved in water. Put this mix in a plantain leaf and boil. This is a popular dish at traditional ceremonies like Chugu, a banquet for ancestors.

Darasa is made pretty much the same way, except instead of yuca, grate a ripe banana, mix coconut cream, sugar, salt, put in the leaf and boil. Green bananas can also be grated and used. Then the tamale is called Digura.

To try Garifuna tamales, order at least a day ahead of time with a cook who sells food or at the Garifuna restaurants in Tela and Trujillo. Traditional food like these tamales are now no longer common among modern Garifunas.

Helio Gutierrez: The best of Nicaraguan ceramics

By SUYAPA CARIAS

Originality, precision and elegance characterize the outstanding work of craftsman Helio Gutierrez. At 32, this Nicaraguan native has already experienced the taste of international success, thanks to his creative ability in ceramics. During a recent visit to that country, Honduras This Week interviewed Gutierrez at his home in the picturesque village of San Juan de Oriente.

Rows of abundant fruit trees planted in his rural property welcome visitors to the private world of this famous artist, who shared interesting facts about his work, life and dreams.

"I became a craftsmen in ceramics under the guidance of Gregorio Bracamonte," said Gutierrez, with a look of respect in his black eyes. "Why would I go to school if I had the Maestro?" he added.

For several years, Bracamonte taught his pupil to elaborate ceramic artifacts decorated with pre-Colombian motifs, in imitation of Mayan vases. It didn't take long before his works became highly popular in the market.

However, as happens to most artists, Gutierrez felt the need to find his own style to identify himself in this field. With the passing of time and his participation in different art events, he fully developed his talent.

That is how he discovered his passion for geometric drawings, which have helped his prestige increase considerably from South America to Europe.

In his current works, one can still see Gutierrez' love for nature. Frogs, birds and lizards are often present in the different designs he invents, one at a time. Colors vary from black and bright oranges to olive greens and soft browns, which offer an unforgettable visual effect.

"I think I have this thing since birth," said Gutierrez, as he showed us some of his latest sculptures. One of the most attractive pieces had nothing less than 2,072 divisions.

For Gutierrez, Nicaraguan handcrafts enjoy the element of modernism -- an advantage over the rest of Central America, where works remain more traditional. Although he is flattered to see the great influence he has had in the rest of Nicaraguan ceramics, Gutierrez is annoyed at some colleagues who only wait for him to take our a new line to start copying it.

"Many craftsmen denominate themselves as the creator of the high relief in natural clay technique, for example, when I was the one who actually invented it," he said.

Since 1986, Gutierrez has participated continuously in ceramic contests and exhibits in his home country as well as in Spain, China, Cuba, the United States and Venezuela. Juanita Bermudez, Director of Codice Contemporary Gallery Art in Managua, has been promoting Gutierrez work for several years.

According to a commentary by Bermudez during an exhibit held last September, Gutierrez is always "anxious to see, to nourish himself, to learn; he makes new designs daily,"...

The artist later told HTW that "dreaming is my only inspiration."

If you want to recognize an authentic Helio Gutierrez work, just look at the mouth of the piece -- he signs each one there.

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This Week's Trivia Question

Q: Since the return of democracy in 1981, Honduras has had four democratically- elected presidents. Although all are politicians to varying degrees, each one has a profession. What are their professions?

The Maya Calendar

A guide to the best in Honduran culture

SCULPTURE AND CERAMIC CONTEST -- AUGUST -- The Honduran Institute of Interamerican Culture will be receiving entries for the "Los Tres Arturos-ICI-97" ceramic and sculpture contest August 4,5, and 6. The works will be judged by a multi-national panel and will be on display until August 28. Information on the contest is available at 38-5233 and 37-7539.

PAINTING AND HANDCRAFTS EXHIBIT -- AUGUST 3 -- The gardens of the Museum of History and Anthropology of San Pedro Sula will present its Jardin del Arte monthly exhibit, featuring a series of paintings, embroideries, clay artifacts and other handicrafts prepared by local women. This event takes place every first Sunday of the month. More information at 57-1496.

GALLERY -- PERMANENT -- The public is invited to visit the permanent gallery of the Honduran Family Fund (PRAF). Proceeds from the sale of paintings will go toward the purchase of school supplies for needy children. The PRAF is located behind the National Congress in downtown Tegucigalpa.

PAINTING EXHIBIT -- AUGUST -- Honduran artist Carlos Hernandez Lopez, popularly known as El Gato, will present his latest ectoplasmatic works at Swinford Park in La Ceiba.

ART EXHIBIT -- THROUGH AUGUST -- The works of Miguel Angel Ruiz are currently on display at the Arturo H. Medrano Gallery of the Central Bank Annex in Comayaguela. The exhibit, titled Ahora que recuerdo, includes 25 paintings by the artist and is part of the Bank's 47th anniversary celebrations.

PAINTING EXHIBIT -- STARTING JULY 23 -- Paintings by five experienced artists will be on exhibit in the Sampedrano Cultural Center, San Pedro Sula. Artists include Eva Elizabeth Castillo, Abel Ruiz, Rafael Chinchilla, Daniel Martinez, and Reynaldo Chinchilla.

POTATO FESTIVAL -- AUGUST -- The city of La Esperanza is celebrating its annual Potato Festival in Intibuca department. Visitors can taste a variety of treats prepared with this vegetable, including wines and soups. La Esperanza is located 200 kilometers northwest of Tegucigalpa and 218 kilometers from San Pedro Sula.

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.

MACBETH -- AUGUST 5, 17, 18, 19, 29 -- The Manuel Bonilla National Theater is host to the presentation of Shakespeare's work Macbeth, under the direction of Cuban Osmel Poveda. Showtime is 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Admission is Lps. 30, Lps. 20 for students with ID.

ACROBATICS -- AUGUST 1 -- Members of the Fu Hsing Chinese Opera Academy will perform acrobatics at Tegucigalpa's Callejas Gymnasium next month. The event is sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Tegucigalpa.

The Maya Calendar (continued)

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 Comayagüela 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 Emisión y Tesorería department at 37-2270 (-78), ext. 2117 (-2120).

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

The Galería 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

Yuscarán's Casa de la Cultura is located at the former Casa Fortín in downtown Yuscarán, El Paraíso department, just 45 km from Tegucigalpa on the road to Danlí. 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 at the entrance of Copán department in the western zone of the country, it shows a splendid variety of the Mayan pieces that have been found in the Copán Ruins Archaeological Park.

LA ENTRADA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Featuring a sizeable collection of Mayan handicrafts and photographs as well as a room with Japanese antique ceramics, this new museum is located 120 km from San Pedro Sula on the highway to Copan.

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.

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, Roatán, Bay Islands. A wide variety of exotic plants is featured here, including "Roatán'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

The Maya Calendar

A guide to the best in Honduran culture

PAINTING AND SCULPTURE EXHIBIT -- THROUGH JULY 25 -- The Honduran Institute of Hispanic Culture invites the public to an original exhibit by painter Francisco Ochoa and sculptor Wilfredo Valeriano. The IHCH is located in Tegucigalpa's Col. Lomas del Guijarro next to CENADIH. More information at 32-5578.

PAINTING EXHIBIT -- AUGUST -- Honduran artist Carlos Hernández Lopez, popularly known as El Gato, will present his latest ectoplasmatic works at Swinford Park in La Ceiba.

GARIFUNA FESTIVAL -- JULY 20 -- The Ministry of Culture invites the public to participate in the Bajamar Garifuna Festival, to take place at the community of Bajamar located close to Puerto Cortes. The event will include a performance by the National Garifuna Ballet Troupe, directed by acclaimed Garifuna choreographer Crisanto Melendez.

DRAMATIC ART -- JULY 23, 24, 25, 26 -- The Manuel Bonilla National Theater will be host to the performance of the work La Señorita Julia, by August Strindberg. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Admission is Lps. 15. Call 22-4366 for schedules.

MURILLO SELVA PLAY -- JULY 26 -- Banco del Pais is sponsoring the presentation of a play by Rafael Murillo Selva to take place at the Manuel Bonilla National Theater at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 22-4366.

MAGIC -- THROUGH JULY -- David Vivar's magic show, Lasagna e ilusionism, featuring the great Mago Fortin, will be held at the Restaurante I Romani on Tegucigalpa's Boulevard Morazan. Admission is Lps. 25.

MISS HONDURAS PAGEANT -- AUGUST 11 -- The most beautiful Honduran women will compete in the 1997 Miss Honduras Pageant at Expocentro in San Pedro Sula. A special act will take place on August 7 at Copan Ruinas to elect the participants' best folkloric costume.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

IGUANA FARM

YUSCARAN, EL PARAISO

YUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE

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

COPAN

COPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Located at the entrance of Copán department in the western zone of the country, it shows a splendid variety of the Mayan pieces that have been found in the Copán Ruins Archaeological Park.

LA ENTRADA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Featuring a sizeable collection of Mayan handicrafts and photographs as well as a room with Japanese antique ceramics, this new museum is located 120 km from San Pedro Sula on the highway to Copan.

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA

COMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM

TELA, ATLANTIDA

LANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA

BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

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ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION

THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION

A: Héctor Zelaya's nickname is "Pecho de Aguila."

Roberto Quesada: flying over the world with words

By SUYAPA CARIAS

It was on a cold but sunny winter day in New York City's lower Manhattan that I first met Honduras' own Roberto Quesada. After a brief chat at a casual restaurant and a rushed subway ride, I didn't see him again until last week in Tegucigalpa. This time, the internationally acclaimed author shared details about his prestigious career in the world of post-modern literature.

Born in the "Civic City" of Olanchito, home town to more than one Honduran intellectual, Quesada grew up among the beautiful beaches and extensive banana plantations of the North Coast. He pursued his studies in Tegucigalpa, where he later founded and directed the famous Sobrevuelo literary magazine for several years. He also became an active journalist, writing articles for El Tiempo and directing the Heraldo's cultural supplement along with Guillermo Castellanos E.

"My friendship with local journalists helped me a lot," says Quesada.

Family matters took him to the United States in 1988, where he decided to stay and continue the outstanding work he started back home. But as it happens with many Hispanics, making it in the land of Uncle Sam is not an easy task.

"At the beginning it was terrible," says Quesada, who arrived in New York City in 1989 broken hearted, with no job, friends, or money, but full of hope and ambition.

GETTING A BREAK

One day, indeed, his luck changed. He met Colombian writer Silvio Martínez, who introduced him to the local literary circles. It wasn't long before he presented them with El Desertor, Quesada's first collection of short stories, published in Honduras in 1985. The work received excellent critics and recent anthologies still mention it, as it has been partially or totally translated into English, German, Italian, French and Russian. "The city started to take another dimension," he says.

Just as it happened to El Desertor, Quesada experienced great acceptance with his 1988 novel Los Barcos, whose English translation became known as The Ships in 1993. The story captivates readers through an array of narrative techniques to tell the story of Honduran North Coast workers. Thanks to The Ships, the name of Quesada is mentioned along with such giant Latin American figures as Gabriel García Márquez and Carlos Fuentes in the 1993 edition of Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Quesada's publications are known for carrying a strong psychological accent that often includes a humorous criticism of reality. After launching his state-of-the-art novel titled El Humano y la Diosa in New York last October, he translated into Spanish a biography of Gloria Stephan by Anthony Destephan.

Speaking about his unpublished novel Nunca Entres por Miami, he told Honduras This Week, "it was originally a play that could never make it onstage, so one day I turned it into a novel." The novel tells the tale of a pair of Hondurans who see Miami as the ultimate paradise.

In addition to writing books, translating, participating in conferences and collaborating with different international publications, Quesada founded and is currently directing a magazine/newspaper titled Nosotros los Latinos, which addresses a diversity of topics and features, of course, cultural issues. Guillermo Descalzi, Facundo Cabral and Rigoberta Menchú are some of the relevant people he has interviewed.

JUST A TYPIST

For Quesada, getting the reader fully involved with the inner side of the characters of his books is much more important than worrying about the technique used in doing so. "I actually think about the concept of my characters, their internal aspects, their psychological, sociological and psychic worlds," he explained.

This is precisely the reason that has led him to believe that he is more a thinker than a writer.

"When I'm writing I become someone else's typist taking dictation, " he says. "It may be someone who's dead who wasn't able to write all he wanted and now I'm getting all the credit."

As a man who "loves honesty and truth above all", Quesada enjoyed telling us some of his habits and preferences when working in the privacy of his apartment.

"The less clothing I wear the better. It's like saying that I'm going to get naked with that particular book," he smiled. For this Honduran, it doesn't matter whether it's day or night, as long as there is music playing to help set up the appropriate atmosphere. And since time stops during those long inspiration periods, there is no point in having a watch nearby.

For Nunca Entres por Miami Quesada listened to lots of Merengue. When he translated Gloria Stephan's biography he continuously listened to that artist's salsa songs. El Humano y la Diosa, on the other hand, required several repetitions of Pink Floyd's classic The Wall.

Quesada feels lucky to have people around him who care for him, because when he is working, he even forgets to eat. "Thank God I have good friends who bring me food. Of course, it has to be someone of total confidence," he added with a mischievous look on his face. When the work is slow, don't bother to call him in the morning. "I love to sleep," he confessed.

MORE SUPPORT NEEDED

Although he resides in New York city, Roberto Quesada's love for Honduras remains the same. He considers both places incomparable, but he resents the poor support given in this country to the arts and culture.

"In the United States, once a writer proves he is really good, he is praised and respected in every sense. In Honduras, no matter how hard you try, this kind of work is still not appreciated and understood as it should be," he says. "Many times, we have to devote ourselves to other activities that are not nearly as rewarding." He is also unhappy with what he called the "awful" publication of his book Dracula en la Era del SIDA in Honduras in 1994.

Quesada and his agent, Laura C. Dali, are very excited about their 1988 presentation of the novel The Big Bananas with the Houston University Press. "It is very funny but strongly critical, terribly human and even very sad sometimes," revealed the author. Another work, Latin American Proverbs, is to be launched next year as well. While in Tegucigalpa, he officially presented El Humano y la Diosa to Hondurans. All evidence indicates that there will be Roberto Quesada stories to read for many years to come.

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ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION

A: The names of Honduras' seven original departments are Comayagua, Choluteca, Tegucigalpa, Gracias, Olancho, Santa Barbara and Yoro.

This Week's Trivia Question

Q: On June 16, 1982, Hector Zelaya scored Honduras' first ever goal in World Cup play against the Spanish team in the Luis Casanova Stadium in Valencia. What is Zelaya's nickname?

Chorti Indians struggle to save traditional religious sites

By WENDY GRIFFIN

Honduras' Chorti-Maya Indians recently marched to Tegucigalpa to demand that the Honduran government resolve their land problems. Partly they needed land to have somewhere to plant crops. However, the Chorti-Mayas are the first Indian group to complain to the Fiscalia de las Etnias about infringements of their access to sites used for traditional religious ceremonies, a right guaranteed by Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (OIT).

The use of cenotes, or sacred wells, is well documented among the Mayas, with the best known cenote being at Chichen Itza in Mexico. Modern day sacred wells are much more humble, but they are essential for the ceremony that asks for rain, known in Spanish as Padrinos del Agua.

In the Lenca region of Honduras, the mythical little people who live in certain bodies of water are called Duendes, a general term for nature spirits. In the Chorti area, the small people who live in sacred wells and who come out to participate in the ceremony are just called Los Chiquititos (the little ones). After the ceremony, these angels disappear again into these natural wells.

GODFATHER OF THE WATER

The person who knows how to perform this ceremony is called El Rezador (the person who prays) or El Padrino del Agua (the Godfather of the water). At least two Chorti villages near Copan Ruins have both sacred wells and Padrinos who can perform this ceremony. These are San Antonio Tapesco and Carrizalon. Choncon, another Chorti village near Carrizalon, also has a sacred well, reports National Teaching University sociology professor Adalid Martinez Perdomo is his soon to be published study of the Chorti called La Fuerza de la Sangre Chorti, or the Strength of the Chorti Blood.

At Chichen Itza many different things have been found in the well, sacrifices asking for rain. The spirits of the Chorti wells receive the sacrifices of prayer, incense, a candle and a chicken or turkey that has been specifically raised for this purpose. At the end of the ceremony, the sacrificed animal is either thrown in the well or buried in a special place.

These animals' spirits live on. On Thursday or Friday of Holy Week, it is possible to hear the call of a turkey or rooster from inside the well. The Chortis believe this ceremony works. Last year on November 2 they performed this ceremony for the Fiscalia employees. Most people in Honduras will remember it rained almost the entire month non-stop in November of last year.

Frightened that the Indians might have some rights to his land where a sacred well is located, one local landowner has deforested the entire area around the well, hoping it will dry up.

The case in which employees of the Fiscalia intervened was in regards to sacred wells which the owner of the land wished to convert into natural pools for tourists, next to a proposed hotel. Because of the seriousness of the case, the Padrino permitted the filming of the ceremony. These kinds of problems happen because the Chortis do not have clear access or protection for their sacred wells.

RAIN DANCES

The Chortis maintain other traditional religious ceremonies as well. The most important of these is the Tzikim, a ceremony for ancestors held traditionally in November, and sometimes on other dates such as April 25, the day of San Marcos. The Tzikim is celebrated with music, prayers, incense, dance, traditional food and drink, particularly a tamale known as chepes.

The Chorti village of Tapesco has been the center of revival of Chorti religious practices, led by the Chucurero, or shaman, Don Guillermo. A number of years ago Don Guillermo fell down as if dead for 10 hours, during which time he was called to heaven and instructed on how to lead the people. The church he now leads is based on traditional Chorti beliefs and is called the Church of the New Century (Iglesia del Nuevo Siglo).

Its name comes from the belief that currently there are four saints who protect the world from the top of the four pillars that hold up the world, just as four sticks hold up the Tapesco altar. But in 1999 there will be nine saints protecting the world. Currently there are also angels who walk among the people to help them. These are in addition to the belief in naguales or nagualitos, a kind of protective spirit which traditionally takes on an animal form. These nagualitos are also known to the Lencas of Honduras.

During the Chorti march on Tegucigalpa, the Chortis became dismayed with the Minister of Culture who supported the idea that the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH) should decide who was Chorti or Indian and who was not. Few Indian peoples have been able to keep as many traditional religious ceremonies as long as the Chortis have, especially in the face of so little comprehension. They hope the land settlement reached will allow them to continue their religion without the fear of tourist hotels and swimming pools on top of sacred wells and other traditional religious sites.

Think you have an answer? Email hontweek@hondutel.hn or share your comments and read what others have said in the new Forum.

This Week's Trivia Question

Q: On June 28, 1825, the Constituent Assembly approved the first political division of Honduras. What were the names of Honduras' first seven departments?

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION

A: On November 2 1956, the Junta Militar de Gobierno presided by H. Caraccioli issued Decree No. 11 which abolished the death penalty. Not surprisingly, the decree gave the following reason for its abolition: "...the death penalty, established in conditional form by the Constitution of 1936, in practice did not produce the hoped for results, since it didn't even succeed in reducing the crime rate in offenses punishable by this penalty."

Legend exhibit highlights Nicaraguan cultural spirit

By SUYAPA CARIAS

MANAGUA -- A good way to discover a country's roots, beliefs, history and culture is through its myths and legends. That's why Carmen Toruno, a Nicaraguan woman with a deep sense of national identity, recently set up an exhibit of some of her country's most popular myths and legends at the National Palace of Culture in Managua.

Exhibit goers were welcomed by friendly guides who helped them dive into the waters of Nicaraguan folklore. But more than modern tour guides were there to welcome visitors; each display was accompanied by colorful life-size figures, such as the beautiful Mocuana, a young Indian woman from Esteli who fell in love with a Spanish conquistador in the 1500s.

According to legend, Mocuana not only gave herself to the conquistador, she also have him her material wealth, which was abundant. However, when her love was unrequited, Mocuana died of loneliness, her solitary spirit continuing to appear at night. "This symbolizes cross breeding between the Spanish and the Nicaraguan Indians," said an exhibit guide.

Near Mocuana stood La Chancha and La Gallina Bruja, the first a nasty female pig and the second a devilish black hen, both surrounded by their broods. According to this myth, La Chancha and La Gallina Bruja were once ordinary women who took on their respective animal forms when the moon was full in order to check on their husbands. "They would look for a luxury tree next to the river. Then they would take their clothes off and say satanic prayers to be converted," said the guide.

Another funny looking female figure was La Cegua. Everyone who touched her became a fool. Today, whenever people act silly or slow, the others tease them by saying, "quedaste tocado de Cegua," or "you've been touched by the Cegua."

The story of La Carreta Nahua is a favorite among locals and foreigners. It tells the tale of an ox cart driven by almas en pena, or the living dead. They would appear at night to form a procession, but could never pass in front of a cross because, as the host said, "everybody knows the divine power that a cross possesses."

There was also El Padre Sin Cabeza, or the Father Without a Head, a nickname Nicaraguans use to remember Bishop Valdivieso, who arrived to that country by 1560 and was decapitated by the Contreras brothers in the old city of Leon. Legend has it his head rolled all the way down to a nearby lake and then he began to appear mysteriously in churches. As divine punishment for the murder, God caused the Momotombo volcano to erupt, destroying Old Leon.

In many Latin American countries, including Honduras, you hear tales of La Llorona. In Nicaragua this character is a very spoiled Indian woman who also fell in love with a Spaniard. The story goes that she had his baby, but also dropped the child into the Chiquito River, where it drowned. From then on, she was only seen crying and shouting about it.

The Protector del Medio Ambiente, or the Protector of the Environment, is a more contemporary legend of a solitary, nature-loving man who kidnaps people found illegally cutting wood in the forest. He was given his nickname right after his death.

In addition to these and other myths and legends featured in the room, the exhibit showed some of the fairs and dancing traditions preserved by Nicaraguans, such as La Griteria, the Sorouaco and the Baile de las Inditas. While in Nicaragua, it is very likely that you will see a live show performed by La Gigantona, El Enano Cabezon and El Copelero, which offer folkloric songs in exchange for a few cordobas while walking around the streets with attractive, impossible-to-miss disguises.

If you visit this charming nation, don't waste a chance to learn more about its fascinating myths and legends.

The Maya Calendar
A guide to the best in Honduran culture

SALVADORAN PAINTINGS -- THROUGH JULY 11 -- Galeria Portales in Tegucigalpa's Colonia Palmira is currently exhibiting the work of Salvadoran artist Walter Iraheta. The exhibit is titled Variaciones sobre un mismo tema.

PAINTING CONTEST EXHIBIT -- THROUGH JULY 18 -- The San Pedro Sula Cultural Center is sponsoring its 7th annual Salon Nacional de Pintura contest featuring an array of original works by Honduran artists. Currently on display are the winning paintings of Guillermo Machi, Alicia Maria Siu, Dino Fanconi, Leonel Efrain Benitez, Douglas Sierra, Dorian Mejia and Rafael Chinchilla. More information at 53-3911.

SAN BUENAVENTURA FAIR -- JULY -- The residents of the community of San Buenaventura, located about 40 kilometers south of Tegucigalpa, are celebrating their annual fair in honor of their patron saint.

POTATO FESTIVAL -- AUGUST -- The public is invited to attend the annual Potato Festival at the scenic city of La Esperanza, Intibuca department. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste the most delicious dishes prepared with this nutritious vegetable, including soups and wines. La Esperanza is located 200 kilometers northwest of Tegucigalpa and 218 kilometers from San Pedro Sula.

SPANISH FILMS -- JULY 11 - 17 -- The Embassy of Spain and the Ministry of Culture are sponsoring the Semana del Cine Español'97, which will take place at the No. 4 Plaza Miraflores Movie Theater in Tegucigalpa. The movies to be presented during normal hours are: El Palomo Cojo (July 11), El Rey del Rio (July 12), Una Casa en las Afueras" (July 13), "Besos y Abrazos" (July 14), "Yo me bajo en la Proxima, y Usted? (July 15), La Nina de tus Suenos (July 16) and Moriras en Chafarinas (July 17). For more information call 36-9738.

FLOWER DESIGN -- JULY 9, 16, 23, 30 -- The Garden Club of the Honduran-Arab Women's Association (AFHA) is sponsoring a course on basic flower design at the Honduran-Arab Club of San Pedro Sula. The course is given one day per week by Alicia de Kattán. For more information call 52-8116.

THEATER FOR PEACE -- JULY 9-12 -- The Hibueras Cultural Center is sponsoring its 5th annual Theater Festival For Peace in the city of Santa Barbara. The event is held to honor Father Jose Trinidad Reyes, a pioneer of Honduran theater. More information at 36-9843.

DANCE -- JULY 16 -- The Grupo Independiente Danza Libre will be performing Las Siete Verguenzas at the Manuel Bonilla National Theater in Tegucigalpa. More information at 36-9843.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

IGUANA FARM

YUSCARAN, EL PARAISO

YUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE

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

COPAN

COPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Located at the entrance of Copán department in the western zone of the country, it shows a splendid variety of the Mayan pieces that have been found in the Copán Ruins Archaeological Park.

LA ENTRADA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Featuring a sizeable collection of Mayan handicrafts and photographs as well as a room with Japanese antique ceramics, this new museum is located 120 km from San Pedro Sula on the highway to Copan.

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA

COMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM

TELA, ATLANTIDA

LANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA

BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS