Honduras This Week Cultural

Learning by doing
Local entrepreneur brings original chinaware to the Honduran table

By KETZI CHACON

Special to Honduras This Week

s8-9-29a.jpg (20433 bytes) Plates, bowls and cups are some of the most intimate things we use every day in our lives. We use them over and over again, not noticing how they look -- what color, texture, figures or designs appear on these most useful of objects.

In reality, as with most of the things we use every day, the way dinnerware is created and the way we use it expresses not only who we are and what we like, but also, imprinted in them, the imagination and temperament of their creators.

In this age, creating a new style in the applied arts may seem a very difficult challenge indeed. It is one of the challenges that Carlo Ferrer of Arte Giancarlo continues to confront with success.

Just two and a half years ago, the 27-year-old Honduran industrial design student began a small business selling pewter as a hobby. After a while, using some new ideas, he began to combine wood and pewter, making jewelry boxes, mirror frames and kitchen utensils.

Building on the success of these creations, he hit upon the idea of producing his own line of chinaware. He says that at the time "I was simply looking for someone who could make ceramic items for me to sell. After a while I found someone who began to make the pieces that I would ask for, one by one. They were all orders I had already sold, but soon I began to have more and more demand, and I had to find a way to produce more efficiently and at a lower cost, so my first investment was a used oven that I bought for a very cheap price. I had to fix it up a little but now it is working fine. I currently have two ovens working."

The second thing he had to solve was finding people to help him, both designers and assistants.

"I hired two painters from the Escuela de Bellas Artes. In the first collection, we just tried to imitate some of the Mexican Talabera china, using the blue design with a white base. On the second collection, we got our inspiration from the Costa Rican style, using more colors, such as green, pink and yellow.

"The reason why I began imitating was because, especially in Honduras, it's difficult to come to the market with something original, so one must offer something traditional or already known so that people later on come to get used to your work, and perhaps later on accept a new or original work. It has been very difficult to create an artisan craft, the fact of producing a hand made collection in which every piece has to have exactly the same appearance and high quality, and at the same time make of every single piece an original and exclusive one."

Two years later, on April 28 of this year, Carlo was finally able to realize his main goal to create an original style, something that could really identify the Giancarlo firm, something that didn't look like a Mexican, Italian or even Central American design.

"I wanted something totally different from what was out there. So even when I was having so much success with the other two collections, we began to work with more color, creating a new china inspired mostly by green which I consider a predominant color in Honduran landscape, but we also added blue, yellow and brown, something really colorful. The time that takes to produce this china is obviously longer, eight times more than a piece that is worked with just two colors. Therefore, this is a limited and exclusive production."

The workshop keeps on experimenting with new designs to offer different dinnerware for the future. Meanwhile, Ferrer keeps on improving his market, now working on the creation of candle production.

"I don't know much about how to manufacture candles, but I decided I wanted to make them, so I went to the United States to buy some machinery... I have right next to me the manuals to begin to learn how to make candles in different colors and styles. I don't know much about it, but as I say, one learns by doing and I have set as a goal that before December I will be selling my new line of candles."

The work of this young entrepreneur may already be in your home, in your kitchen, or living room. If it says Arte Giancarlo Honduras, pintado a mano, you will know that it is handmade. Enjoy it and consider appreciatively the time, effort and generous hands that is behind its simple appearance.

Choosing archaeological sites a matter of priorities

By WENDY GRIFFIN

(Part two of three)

Archaeology in Honduras is currently not under the control of Hondurans based on how funding is obtained to excavate sites. Generally, there are two methods.

One is for the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH) to get excited about a site, look for funding and hire a foreign archaeologist to excavate it. Currently, there is no one at IHAH in charge of writing grants proposals, so this is not done often.

The other way is for a foreigner to get funding in his country, for example from the National Geographic Society, a Fulbright Scholarship, etc., and do the dig. Of course, the IHAH has to give the permission to do this, and they try to exact certain returns for this permission. In order to make researchers want to excavate sites in Honduras, there should be information available about interesting problems, such as who built the Ciudad Blanca.

Part of the problem Honduras has in selling the idea of excavating in the eastern part of the country where a lot of work still needs to be done is that this is in the "unprestigious" Intermediate Area that covers everything between Mesoamerica and the Andes. There is a strong preference for the archaeology of elite places, instead of the humble sites of farmers and fishermen, like the Pech and the Tawahkas.

In the United States another source of money for funding of archaeological sites is called rescue archaeology. When someone plans to build a road, housing project, or dam on top of an archaeological site, by law the company must stop work and pay people to excavate it.

At this moment Honduras is considering to put most of the Tawahka area under water (through construction of a dam on the Patuca River) even though no Tawahka site has ever been excavated there. No one has a clue if the Rio Cuyamel near the Patuca was Tawahka, Lenca or Pipil. Cultural patrimony laws should protect these sites and yet IHAH did not even request a reconnaissance of possible archaeological sites to be included in the environmental impact study.

The Tawahkas have found many archaeological pieces on their reserve and have talked of putting them in the "Casa Cultural" that was promised international funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) but never built. The Tawahkas would like to know what their archaeological past was, even if it is not a burning archaeological question to anyone else.

At the Chac Mool conference in Canada on public archaeology, Canadian and American archaeologists discussed why they did not include in their investigations talks in Spanish to local universities, or at local museums, and why they did not publish information in Spanish publications.

The professors said there was no money in it. Tenure is based on articles in selected academic journals, mostly published in the United States and mostly dealing with narrow academic questions. Nothing else was taken into account. Given the divergence in interests and needs, perhaps Honduras needs to focus on having an independent archaeological research agenda.

The Maya Calendar
A guide to the best in Honduran culture

SCULPTURE EXHIBIT -- THROUGH OCTOBER 1 -- The Central Bank of Honduras is presenting the work of sculptor Regina Aguilar, titled "The End," at the Arturo H. Medrano Gallery in their Annex Building in Comayaguela. Admission is free.

PAINTING AUCTION -- OCTOBER 23 -- The Rehabilitation Department of the San Felipe Hospital in commemoration of its 50th Anniversary, together with the Honduran Polio Association will host an auction of the works of outstanding Honduran painters. The exposition will be dedicated to painter Salvador Leary for his charity work benefiting Honduran children. Proceeds will go toward buying medical equipment for the rehabilitation department. Check future Maya Calendars for more details about the event.

YOUTH THEATER FESTIVAL AGAINST AIDS -- OCTOBER 29,30,31 -- The Educational Center for the Prevention of AIDS, COMVIDA, will be hosting the II Annual Central American Youth Theater Against AIDS in San Pedro Sula.

CHILDREN’S THEATER -- SUNDAY MORNINGS -- The Teatro Latino will present "The Three Little Pigs" puppet theater Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. at the Restaurant "El Jardin" in the Hotel Suites Los Andes of San Pedro Sula. Admission is Lps. 25. For more information, call director David Vivar at 225-2440.

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 met 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).

WEIGHT WATCHERS -- Weight Watchers, an international weight loss program with over 40 years of experience in helping people maintain a healthier lifestyle is offering classes in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. To join or for more information, contact Juan Cueva Membreno at 239-0161.

ENGLISH SPEAKING WOMEN'S CLUB -- OCTOBER 8 -- The ESWC invites all English-speaking women to attend its teas held the second Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the Restaurante La Hacienda on Blvd. Morazan. This month George Hasemann will give a slide lecture. A widely acclaimed archaeologist, Mr. Hasemann has been closely involved in many of the discoveries in Copan Ruinas, Talgua, and other sites only now becoming recognized for their great importance for piecing together the history of Mesoamerica. He is also designer and director of a major new educational center at Lago Yojoa, at an archaeological site that will combine facilities for tourists and investigators, emphasizing the relationship between culture and ecology, past and present. For more information, call Sara at 211-8369.

GARIFUNA DANCE AND CULTURE -- SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 9 -- Women in Art will be hosting a workshop dedicated to the Garifuna Culture and given by the Barauda Group, directed by Purificacion Arriola. Themes to be included are: traditional dance, folklore, customs, traditional food and drink, and ancestral traditions. The workshop will held daily from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, call Berali Bustillo at 236-8271/221-0697.

ART, READING & TUTORING FOR CHILDREN -- The Art and Education Center, BONAMPAK, at the Plaza Millennium, is currently offering 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.

CHILDREN'S LIBRARY -- The Centro Cultural Infantil of San Pedro Sula currently has a program titled "The Reading Corner" offering young people a chance to read and listen to stories in a comfortable environment. The library of this center holds a "Story Hour" daily and has a study area where students may do research. For more information about CCI services, call 557-8639.

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 232-2110, Ext. 217 or write to University Certificate in Spanish Proficiency, P.O. Box U 8779, Tegucigalpa.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

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

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

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

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

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

IGUANA FARM

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

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 772-0348.

LA PAZ, LA PAZ

LA PAZ HOUSE OF CULTURE

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

SAN PEDRO SULA, CORTES

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: 557-1496, Fax: 552-7091)

MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA

Sponsored and managed by the Fundacion Ecologista H.R. Pastor Fasquelle, this new museum was inaugurated last December in its current location at the Biocentro on 3 Avenida and 9 Calle Noroeste. It has 24 exhibits on the environment, natural resources and biology of Honduras. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. Admission is Lps 5 for students from public schools and Lps. 10.00 for everyone else.

YUSCARAN, EL PARAISO

YUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE

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

OLANCHO

PECH CULTURAL CENTER

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

COPAN

COPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

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

LA PUENTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

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

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.

GARIFUNA MUSEUM

This Garifuna-run museum in Tela, Atlantida has an almost

complete collection of the different handicrafts made by the Garifunas. If you ask, they have a written guide in English available. The museum also houses the Garifuna handicraft shop and part of the Tela Artist Association's Art Gallery. The rest of the Gallery and the Garifuna restaurant have moved to the Garifuna Plaza on the beach next to the Bahia Azul Hotel. Tours of the Garifuna Museum to home/studios of Garifuna artists, medicinal plant tours, dance presentations, and tours/overnight stays in local Garifuna villages can be arranged at either the Museum or Garifuna Plaza. The museum is open 9 to 5 while Garifuna Plaza is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is Lps. 5. The museum is located next to the river, one block up from the bridge that goes to Telamar and the local churches.

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA

BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

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

TRUJILLO

TRUJILLO RUFINO GALAN MUSEUM

A private museum which has a memorabilia section, old chairs, anchors, silverware, beds of famous people locally. There is an industrial archaeology section on how lights, axes, stoves, sewing machines, typewriters have changed over time. They have a good collection of Garífuna handicrafts and the best collection

of NE Honduras archaeological pieces -- all unmarked. A written guide to the museum is available at the Trujillo Tourism Office in English and Spanish. The museum is open 8 to 4, closing for lunch. Adults Lps. 20, children Lps. 10. Located on Calle 18 de Mayo, next to the Crystales River and the famous "piscina" or pool, about a 15-minute walk out of town.

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

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

BAY ISLANDS MUSEUM

A private museum at Anthony's Key Resort, Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, it mostly includes archaeological pieces, but there is a

small section on the modern Bay Islanders. Museum admission is included in the cost of the dolphin show at Anthony Key's Institute of Marine Sciences. Small buses or taxis will take you to Sandy Bay from most Roatán towns.

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

Archeology and anthropology should respond to local needs

By WENDY GRIFFIN

(Part one of three)

Over half of all publications in the world are in the English language. The majority of information available on the Internet is in English. If Hondurans want information on Honduran ethnic groups or on archaeology, it is often inaccessible to them due to the language barrier.

During the conflict between the Honduran-based Contras and the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua, it was a mark of high principle among Honduran anthropologists that they could read no English, the language of "Yankee imperialism."

Some international academic organizations like the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) worry about the fact that even though many of its members do research in Latin America, the results of these investigations are often not available in those countries. This problem is sometimes referred to as the Neo-Colonialism of information.

SAA has tried different strategies to overcome these problems. One technique is have its international conferences in gateway cities like New Orleans. However, given the high cost of hotel rooms, food and air fare compared to a university teacher's salary here, it is usually impossible for Honduran scholars to attend international conferences. In any event, the presentations are given in English, which most Hondurans do not understand.

The Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH) tried to have a conference every two years and then every four years, which leaves a lot of time between the dates when the research is done, and when it is presented.

Another step recommended by SAA's Committee on Latin America was to translate its journal into Spanish and make it available to certain institutions in Latin America.

Even if the journal were available here in Spanish, Honduras has few people capable of understanding its very technical articles. None of the Honduran universities offer degrees in archaeology or anthropology, in spite of having two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Copan and the Rio Platano area.

Students who study social science here take no courses in archaeology. The textbooks for the courses History of Honduras and General Anthropology, where archaeology is taught, are 17 years old, have had no revisions and have little or no information about the indigenous cultures or the archaeology of Honduras. That secondary students have no understanding of archaeology is to be expected given the preparation of the teachers.

There is such a critical shortage of trained people that the head of the Archaeology Section of IHAH was for several years an American. With one exception, all the people who have made their reputation at Copan are foreigners. The head of IHAH's Ethnology Section for 12 years was also a foreigner. This is unusual in a country where it is technically illegal for a foreigner to teach Honduran history.

One of the problems with an archaeology department dominated not by Hondurans but rather by academics from foreign universities is that the questions they research are not those local people need answered.

Recently in this newspaper, it was stated that it does not matter if the archaeological sites (in the are where the Ciudad Blanca is purportedly located) are Pech or non-Pech. Maybe it does not matter to the archaeologist who is investigating them, but it does matter to the Pech. As a people, they have almost no written history. Archaeology is one of the few keys to understanding their past, which is true for all Honduran Indian groups.

While working with the Lenca representative to the Commission on Bilingual Education, I explained that the Lencas had pyramids and plazas like those at Copan, that they made ceramics so fine that the Copan Mayas imported them, and that many of the artifacts found at Mayan sites were in fact made by Lencas. She was amazed. "In school they taught us the worst thing you can be is Lenca," she said. Nobody told them anything about their pre-Columbian roots. If you look at the San Pedro and Comayagua museums, you will never see the word Lenca.

There needs to be ways of ensuring that local people can have more say in archaeological studies and have more access to the results. Recently, a Honduran anthropology teacher asked about an article on pre-Columbian Lenca agriculture. There is such an article, but it is in English, published in Holland and the nearest copy is at least 1,000 miles away.

NEXT WEEK: Who determines where digs will be funded and conducted.

The Maya Calendar
A guide to the best in Honduran culture

SCULPTURE EXHIBIT -- THROUGH OCTOBER 1 -- The Central Bank of Honduras will present the work of sculptor Regina Aguilar, titled "The End," at the Arturo H. Medrano Gallery in their Annex Building in Comayaguela. Admission is free.

PAINTING AUCTION -- OCTOBER 23 -- The Rehabilitation Department of the San Felipe Hospital in commemoration of it’s 50th Anniversary, together with the Honduran Polio Association will host an auction of the works of outstanding Honduran painters. The exposition will dedicated to painter Salvador Leary for his charity work benefiting Honduran children. Proceeds will go towards buying medical equipment for the Rehabilitation Department. Check future Maya Calendars for more details about the event.

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.

FLOWER DESIGN -- SEPTEMBER 22, 23, 24 -- The Garden Club of the Honduran Arab Women’s Association (APHA) is sponsoring a course for flower design judges, at the Honduran-Arab Club of San Pedro Sula. For more information, call Sorea de Mahomar at 550-2165.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

IGUANA FARM

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.

Danli, El Paraiso

Museo de Maiz, Danli, El Paraiso, This small museum operates in the municipal Building in Danli which every year celebrates the Festival de Maiz. It shows some Pre-columbian artifacts and traditional life such as grinding corn with stone grinding stones. Open when the Municipal building is open. Located in the middle of town.

Olancho

Pech cultural Center, El Carbon, Olancho.--The Pech have built a small house to display their modern handicrafts. An exhibit of the archaeological finds is planned. You can ask to see the collection and/or get a tour of a Post Classic era fortified sites which is of the same culture as Trujillo/Bay Islands and possibly the White City. The Pech cultural center also offers medicinal plant tours, nature hikes, meet the artisan tours, Pech dinners. No admission fee to cultural center. Hours: If you ask, they will open it.

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

MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA

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

MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA

COMAYAGUA COLONIAL MUSEUM

COMAYAGUA RELIGIOUS MUSEUM

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

TELA, ATLANTIDA

LANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

Garifuna Museum, Tela, Atlntida- This Garifuna run museum has an almost complete collection of the different handicrafts made by the Garifunas. If you ask they have a written guide in English available. The museum also houses the Garifuna handicraft shop and part of the Tela Artist Association's Art Gallery. the rest of the Gallery and the Garifuna restaurant have moved to the Garifuna Plaza on the beach next to the Bahia Azul Hotel. Tours of the Garifuna Museum to home/studios of Garifuna artists, medicinal plant tours, dance presentations, and tours/overnight stays in local Garifuna villages can be arranged at either the Museum or Garifuna Plaza. The Museum is open 9-5 (more or less) while Garifuna Plaza is open 7 am-9pm. Admission L5. Located next to the river, one block up from the bridge that goes to Telamar and the local churches.

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA

BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

Trujillo

Trujillo Rufino Galan Museum - A Private museum which has a memorabilia section, old chairs, anchors, silverware, beds of famous people locally. There is an industrial archaeology section on how lights, axes, stoves, sewing machines, typewriters have changed over time. They have a good collection of Garifuna handicrafts and the best collection of NE Honduras archaeolgical pieces--all unmarked. Many archeological pieces have connections to the Whtie City. A written guide to the Museum is available at the Trujillo tourism Office in English and Spanish. The Museum is in theory open 8-4pm closing for lunch, but it is usally opoen earlier, stays open later and will open at lunch time if you ask. Adults L20, Children L10. Located on Calle 18 de Mayo, next to the Crystales river and the famous "piscina" opr pool from its illegally dammed up waters, about 15 minutes walking out of town.

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

Bay islands Museum. Anthony's Key Resort, Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay islands.- A private museum which was designed with the help of an IHAH anthropologist. Mostly includes archaeological pieces, but there is a small section on the modern Bay islanders. The Indians of the Bay islands were the same culture as those in Trujillo, and possibly the same as the White City builders. Museum admission is included in the cost of the dolphin show at Anthony Key's Institute of Marine Sciences. Small buses or taxis will take you to Sandy Bay from most Roatan towns.

Honduran folk medicine defines mental illness differently

By WENDY GRIFFIN

In Honduras' countryside, most people believe in a different medicine from that taught at the university, generally known as Western medicine. This medicine of the country is commonly known as folk medicine. These two practice differ substantially in many areas, among them their interpretation of mental illness.

A recent case of a Bay Islander who reportedly killed several people because she heard voices instructing her illustrates this difference. If people hear voices in the United States, we lock them up or give them major sedatives for schizophrenia. In Honduras, some people pay money to people who hear voices to get inside information on lucky lottery numbers and medicinal or magic plants.

Many people here believe that mental illness is caused by witchcraft. For example, there is an old Garifuna man who walks the streets of Trujillo collecting various things -- scraps of paper, rags, leaves. He speaks with voices only he hears. People call him the voodoo king because he draws pictures on the sand. Usually he sleeps outdoors and gets clean clothes, a shave and a haircut only when some kind neighbor takes him in.

Yet if you talk to him, for example ask, "would you like some mangos from my garden?" he answers very courteously, "Yes, thank you, ma'am" and eats the mangos. Psychiatrists would probably say he is suffering from schizophrenia, but his neighbors tell me his problem is witchcraft, "maleficio."

To cure maleficio, a person goes to a healer or curandero. But if the healer cannot cure the maleficio, or the spell is very strong, the person remains ill. Some mentally ill people eventually end up in the state psychiatric hospital where they use modern drugs, or in a day hospital in Tegucigalpa. But otherwise, they are left at home or even on the streets.

Another example of mental illness reputedly caused by maleficio is a young woman living in Cristales. She had been married to a man who had another wife in Guatemala. The people believe the other wife practiced witchcraft to make her ill.

Unfortunately, cases of early senile dementia are not uncommon in Garifuna villages, as this is one of the early symptoms of AIDS. I suggested to neighbors that perhaps the young woman should get an AIDS test. "Oh, no," they said. "It is maleficio. Or if it is AIDS, there is nothing to be done, except just keep her at home and take care of her as best we can."

Another way to become crazy is supposedly by being badly frightened, particularly by evil spirits. Ladinos call this "susto." One example of this is found in a Garifuna story collected by students of the National Teaching University's campus at La Ceiba.

"Once there was a girl. Even after she got married, she was always doing bad things, or doing nothing. Her mother-in-law scolded her, but it did no good. Once she stayed up late, after all the family had gone to bed, reading a book about bad things. Then the Spirit of Bad Things came. In the morning her family found her crazy."

According to the book "Common Medicinal Plants of Honduras," Ladinos cure susto with herbal baths done by traditional healers. Unfortunately, the cures work only within the context of the culture that prescribes them.

Some causes of mental illness are specific to particular cultures. For example, Garifunas believe unhappy ancestors can cause mental illness. The illnesses caused by ancestors are cured by ceremonies like lemessi, chugu, and dugu.

The Gonzales family of Santa Fe has performed dugus for a member who one day disappeared in New York. His family eventually found him in a public place, totally unsure of who he was. A buyei confirmed that this illness was caused by ancestors and a dugu was scheduled. After the dugu, the ancestors said that they were now satisfied, but they would still not cure the man, because he did not honor them.

My Garifuna friends also tell me that too much thinking makes you crazy. This partly seems to derive from the expression "quemando la materia gris" or "burning the grey matter" while studying or working. So, if you are wondering why your employees do not seem to think, now you know. They are protecting their health. After explaining this to me, a Garifuna friend said, "Profe, you study a lot, but you seem all right," but you could hear the question in his voice.

Honduras produces many colorful dance masks

A Lenca Indian shows off a mask used in the Guancasco ceremony. Most of Honduras' ethnic groups employ masks in their folk dances and ceremonies. (Photo by Eric Schwimmer.)

By WENDY GRIFFIN

Many people like to collect masks. Most of Honduras' ethnic groups use masks for their folk dances and some groups make these masks available for sale.

In Honduras, masks for dances are probably of pre-Columbian origin. A vase in the Copan Museum seems to show a procession dance with one of the dancers wearing a jaguar or deer mask.

Bird dances were also performed by both Lencas and Mayas in pre-Columbian times, as can be seen on ceramics in Banco Atlantida's collection. These dances were done without masks, but with crested feathered headdresses, feathers on the arms to represent wings, and a bustle for a tail, so that the dancer looked like a crested kingfisher.

Modern folk dances by these Indians' mestizo descendants, such as the dance of the zopilote (black vulture) of Lepaterique or the dance of the hawk (gavilan) and chickens continue these pre-Columbian traditions of bird dances and dances with masks.

Of all the Honduran masks, probably the easiest to buy is the rectangular shaped baked clay mask used by the Lencas for their peace ceremony, the guancasco. This mask is usually sold in places that carry Lencan handicrafts, such as Arte Sano in Tegucigalpa or the Proyectos del Pueblo store in Comayaguela. This mask has even graced the cover of mail order catalogues in Europe from organizations that sell the pottery of the Lencas of Guajiquiro, La Paz.

Lencas also use a mask for the dance of "El Garrobo" in the village of La Campa, Lempira. This mask is not for sale, and the people may no longer know how to make one. A Lencan animal skin mask has also been collected, but it is not clear for which dance it was used.

The Maya-Chorti, like Mayas of Guatemala, maintain the use of masks principally for the Moors and Christians dance based on the medieval European play of how Spanish Christians defeated the Moors and reconquered Spain. These wooden masks with European faces have been passed down and probably there is no one with the ability to make new ones.

Garifunas also use masks to perform the Moors and Christians dance. Although wooden masks are seen in some old photos, for a number of years Garifunas have used red wire mesh masks with the faces painted in black to perform all of their masked dances.

The "mascaro" dance, performed at Christmas by Garifunas, has not only a mask but an elaborate headdress that uses scarlet macaw feathers. A wooden mascaro mask and headdress were features on a stamp last year to commemorate the Garifuna bicentennial.

Some stores like the handicraft store of the Garifuna Museum in Tela sell the headdress and mask for mascaro, although usually without the scarlet macaw feathers which must be obtained separately. Bay Islanders used to perform a similar dance called "John Canoe", but this dance is no longer performed, and no examples of the mask for this dance have been observed.

The Garifunas perform many masked Christmas dances, the most elaborate used in the dance theater piece Coreopatea, which has as one of its characters the devil.

The devil wears a long mask like an elephant's trunk. It has an opening at the end through which the devil can see. This mask is important to the story as there is a man the devil cannot stand to see, says Garifuna dancer Herman Alvarez. This man goes around touching women, even the devil's woman, by crouching down lower than the level of the mask, so the devil cannot see him. There is a nice life-size painting of this dance on the walls of the Drive Inn Restaurant in Santa Fe that was done by Alvarez.

The Garifuna game "Indio Barbaro" played at Christmas time should be done with an ugly mask. Nowadays, men buy Halloween masks instead of making their own. This tendency to use Halloween masks is also affecting the Ladino/Lenca mask used for the "Los Negritos" dance, which is performed as part of the Gualala/Ilama guancasco on Jan. 14.

None of the Miskito Indian dances use a mask per se. For the Purayapti ceremony, performed on the anniversary of a family member's death, the Miskitos make a whole doll that someone can get into and make it dance and sing. The only place these are still made is at Lakatabila on the Rio Kruta. People have been able to buy these dolls after the ceremony.

Garifunas and Ladinos also make giant dolls and dance inside of them, but as part of the celebration of village fairs. The ladinos call this dance "Mojiganga" and the Garifunas "Flandigana" or the "Elegancia de Marcelina." The dance, sometimes performed on stilts, is a medieval European tradition brought by the Spanish to Honduras. Sometimes whole families of these giant dolls are made and some villages have composed short plays to be done by the giants. The tradition of mojigangas are now brought to Honduran stages by the Zotz folk dance group, which substitutes the traditional papier-mache over wire construction (like a pinata) for foam to make the masks last longer.

White City legends tell
of heros and thefts

By WENDY GRIFFIN

In eastern Honduras, archaeologists, explorers and local residents have found several important sites. One site looms with particular importance for the richness of the legends associated with it.

In Pech legends, an important place is "Kao Kamasa" (The White House). Over the years, the legends of this place have become intertwined with the legends of the White City.

Kao Kamasa is famous as the burial place of Patakako, the most important Pech hero. According to legend, he is the person who went to the end of the earth to verify that the world is held up by four posts, like a Pech roof or a tapesco bed. There are giants at the end of the earth that change these posts every three days, because they rot in the water in the place of the origin of the rainbow.

This hero also verified that every rider has a sirena or mermaid who takes care of the fish. Patakako went to heaven to see the creator (Kako) of other Indians in the Pech area. In heaven, his heart was take out by the Celestial Panther, but his wound was cured by the Grandmother in Heaven who gave him a "Pizote" heart.

When he died he was buried at Kako Kamasa, near Waraska at the head waters of the Rio Platano. There grew the mountain Chok Korpan, which means the mountain of the palm tree which the Pech used to make salt. This legend was collected by Honduran anthropologist Dr. Lazaro Flores and is published in the collection "Dioses, heroes y hombres en el mundo mitico Pech."

However, while building roads near El Carbon, Armando Zuniga heard another story of Kao Kamasa from the Pech chief Tome. He was told that at this place there is a central plaza and in the middle a large flat stone. On the stone there was a shining crystal skull. Felix Tome believed this was the burial place of Quetzalcoatl.

This name could refer to a Mexican chief or to the Mexican God of storms and winds. The story made Zuniga think of an incident when he was helping to map eastern Honduras prior to putting in the Juticalpa to Bonito Oriental road. In aerial photographs, he noticed that at one spot there was a bright white light. To make the map, they decided to take the aerial photo again. The white light showed up again.

So they went in by helicopter to look at what could be causing this white light. They flew low over a central plaza. There was a large flat stone, and on the rock there was a gleaming carved rock, apparently quartz, that was giving off the light. The next day and for three days afterward the helicopter could not go anywhere due to mechanical problems.

This gleaming quartz stone seems to have been a carved crystal skull. It is believed to represent the Aztec god of the dead, so it is appropriately placed on top of a tomb reportedly belonging to Quetzalcoatl or Patakako.

This skull is no longer there. Rumors report that it was taken out of Honduras to Belize or Canada, where it still is today. (For more information on crystal skulls, see the website <http://www.crystalskullsociety.org>.)

Fausto Miguel Alvarez, former director of Education for the Department of Gracias a Dios, said, "Oh, lots of people know where the White City is. It has been looted, the good stuff taken out of it." In interviews with other people about the site, there were rumors of skull racks, monkey god statues, carved statues of gods and more being taken out and sold.

When the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve was first created, it was to protect the ruins of the White City or several White Cities in the area. The Rio Platano Biosphere is partly for this reason a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the first to make the list of endangered World Heritage Sites, according to biologist Becky Myton.

"For the last five years we have been concerned about how to develop the archeological side of the park," said MOPAWI director Oswaldo Munguia. "But there is no tourist infrastructure in the area. Any project that is undertaken will have to include the participation of the local people."

One suggestion at a meeting sponsored by the Society for the Exploration and Preservation of Honduras (SEPH) was the construction of a museum at Palacios that would show the people the importance of the archeological sites they find.

Now that these lost cities have come to the world's attention with articles in the London Globe and the New Yorker, perhaps plans can be made to protect them before their contents are put up for sale.

The Maya Calendar
A guide to the best in Honduran culture

YOUTH THEATER FESTIVAL AGAINST AIDS -- OCTOBER 29,20,31 -- The Educational Center for the Prevention of AIDS, COMVIDA, will be hosting in San Pedro Sula the II Annual Central American Youth Theater Against AIDS. Groups interested in participating should be comprised of 10 actors between the ages of 13 and 25. Subject matter should focus on the AIDS problem or on social, cultural, economic, and political factors that contribute to the spread of this disease. Video and script should sent by Sept. 15 to the COMVIDA Kiosk, located in San Pedro’s Central Park, tel/fax: 550-2075.

CHAMBER MUSIC -- SEPTEMBER 19 -- The Cultural House Foundation will host the San Pedro Sula Chamber Orchestra with violin soloist Raul Munguia at the San Isidro Church in La Ceiba at 8 p.m.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA -- SEPTEMBER 18 -- The Orchestra will host its eighth performance of the season at the Manuel Bonilla National Theater. The program will include overtures by Gioacchino Rossini, Hector Louis Berlioz, and pieces by Jimena Andonie, Antonin Dvorak and Poir Ilich Tchaikovsky. Showtime is 7 p.m. Admission is Lps. 30.00, Lps. 15.00 students with I.D.

PAINTING AUCTION -- OCTOBER 23 -- The Rehabilitation Department of the San Felipe Hospital in commemoration of its 50th anniversary, together with the Honduran Polio Association, will host an auction of the works of outstanding Honduran painters. The exposition will dedicated to painter Salvador Leary for his charity work benefiting Honduran children. Proceeds will go toward buying medical equipment for the rehabilitation department. Check future Maya Calendars for more details about the event.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRIZE -- SEPTEMBER 30 -- The Mexican Embassy and the Honduran Cultural, Art and Sports Secretary will sponsor the Science and Technology Contest open to Honduran researchers who have developed work in this field. Works participating should be presented by Sept. 30 to the Mexican Embassy. One first place winner of 240,000 Mexican pesos, an honorary diploma and a commemorative medal. For more information, call 236-9843 or the Mexican Embassy.

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.

ENGLISH SPEAKING WOMEN'S CLUB -- The English Speaking Women's Club invites all English-speaking women to attend its teas held the second Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. in the Hotel Honduras Maya. Participate in interesting programs, sign up for activity groups, and make new friends. For more information, call Sara at 211-8369.

MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA

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

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

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

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

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: 557-1496, Fax: 552-7091)

MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA
Sponsored and managed by the Fundacion Ecologista H.R. Pastor Fasquelle, this new museum was inaugurated last December in its current location at the Biocentro on 3 Avenida and 9 Calle Noroeste. It has 24 exhibits on the environment, natural resources and biology of Honduras. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. Admission is Lps 5 for students from public schools and Lps. 10.00 for everyone else.

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 772-0348.

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. 442-2874, e-mail: rlehman@ns.gbm.hn

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS

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