Welcome to our 15th Annual Revue Photo Issue. Here is a sampling of some of the amazing photographs we received when we asked photographers to send us their favorite Guatemala image. We will be adding more in the coming days, or you can check them all out in our flip version of the January Revue.
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Turkey is quite possibly the most delicious main dish of the holiday kitchen. In the United States, it is consumed year-round in sandwiches and other preparations and it reaches a higher status at the Thanksgiving table. In Guatemala, turkey is the key ingredient of Kack Ik, a Mayan stew from the region of Coban, and of festive meals during the […]
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The usual cool mountain breeze was absent the day I stood atop the mountain ridgeline of Mixco Viejo, but still it felt like a smaller version of Peru’s Machu Picchu. Standing there your eyes drink in every shade of green as peace surrounds you, leaving you wondering if this is how the ancient Maya felt when they stood on the […]
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Christmas & New Year Parties & Dinner, La Antigua December 24 Christmas Eve Dinner Chooose between 2 different gourmet menus. Q295* per person *add 10% service charge. For reservations call 7873-7000 Ext. 5899/5845 Hotel Camino Real/Restaurante Las Velas, 7a calle poniente #33B December 31 New Year’s Eve Dinner Chooose between 2 different gourmet menus. Q290* per person *add 10% service […]
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After Burning the Devil festivities throughout Guatemala on December 7, Christmas celebrations begin the following day with processions for the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. This is definitely one of the most popular traditions in the country. The devotion of the virgin dates to the 1500s in Guatemala, while the “Rezado (procession) de la Inmaculada Concepción de San Francisco” in […]
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Burning the Devil is an amazing celebration in La Antigua Guatemala that takes place every year on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. This tradition, over the years, involved burning paper trash – and a lot of firecrackers – in front of each house to scare away the evil spirits, “clean” the air and prepare for the Dec. 8 celebration of […]
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I grew up eating squash in Guatemala and learned to appreciate the local varieties because they are part of many preparations, from soups and stews to candied styles. Cooking with squash is easy, as the fruit lends itself to many preparations from savory and sour, to sweet. Squash is available year-round in the U.S., but I love fall harvest season […]
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Here are the results of the Photo Contest “Families in Guatemala. WINNERS BY POPULAR VOTE WINNERS BY EDITORIAL DECISION THANK YOU to all the participating photographers — You can see all of the excellent submissions on the Revue Facebook page The winners and a number of other photographs will be published in the December, 2017 issue of Revue. ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: January […]
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Think Critically, Act Ethically, Serve Others. Arturo and José Pablo stood up slowly and faced their classmates. The class had gathered comfortably in a circle, strewn on the couches and beanbags in the library. The boys leaned over to the computer to start the video they had produced, “1954 Coup D’etat: Death of the Guatemalan Spring.” As the video played, […]
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While composing Messiah, Handel is said to have remarked, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me and the great God Himself.” Whether by divine inspiration or unbridled passion, George Frideric Handel crafted Messiah, his greatest oratorio, in a mere three to four weeks between August and September in 1741. “He would literally write from morning to night,” […]
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The only public Pediatric Oncology hospital in Guatemala specializing in treating pediatric cancer. I only crossed paths with 9-year-old Litzy Lorena Hernández for a few minutes, but the mark she left on me was significant and enduring. Litzy was sitting in a lounge at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit (UNOP) in Guatemala City waiting for a social program to begin. I […]
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Ayurvedically Speaking, you are what you digest. Following an Ayurvedic diet in Guatemala is so easy! The markets are brimming with beautiful produce, farm-fresh milk and butter are still available, and for locals, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Though Ayurveda, the 5,000+-year-old traditional approach to health and wellness was established in India, this does not mean eating […]
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Kaq’ik is a spicy Guatemalan Turkey Soup. In the predominantly Kekchi-speaking Maya municipality of Cobán, Alta Verapaz, I recently had the very good fortune of experiencing some of Guatemala’s most ancient and traditional food dishes. One of these dishes, Kaq’ik, is a savory and spicy red broth made from puréed tomatoes, tomatillos, lots of natural herbs and chilies that are […]
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The Industrial Revolution’s Latest Conquest. This is not the end of traditional Mayan weaving, but it is having a huge impact. Beautiful huipil, isn’t it? It’s the current style, one of them. In some parts of Guatemala, monochromatics are the moda, so this would likely be worn with a multi-green skirt if the woman is from one of those areas. (In […]
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WINNERS BY POPULAR VOTE WINNERS BY EDITORIAL DECISION THANK YOU to all the participating photographers — The winners and a number of other photographs will be published in the November, 2017 issue of Revue. The next photo contest will be announced towards the end of October. You can see all of the excellent submissions on the Revue Facebook page
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“A delightful, thoroughly researched and enlightening account of what is perhaps Latin America’s most important cultural phenomenon, the Telenovela.” —Alma Guillermoprieto, writer for The New York Review of Books and the author of A Heart That Bleeds. Who doesn’t enjoy a steamy romance? Add to that a dose of drama or hint of betrayal and you have all the makings of […]
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Overflowing with wildlife, ARCAS asks for help. Established in 1989 to rescue wild birds and animals, especially endangered species, the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (known as ARCAS, its Spanish acronym) has grown into one of the most complete rescue centers in the world. Receiving hundreds of animals each year at its three sites in Guatemala, ARCAS also faces a […]
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In the Highlands of Guatemala, one Maya Community is taking back its Cultural Identity. Innovative educational programs help the indigenous Poq’omchi’ of San Cristóbal Verapaz regain their voice after decades of oppression. On a sultry afternoon in late June, dozens of men, women and children pour enthusiastically into the “Salon Esperanza” at a high school in San Cristóbal, a predominantly Poq’omchi’-speaking, […]
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Sept. 15 marked the beginning of a month-long celebration of Latin culture in the United States – and what a great way to commemorate it with healthy, delicious cuisine. In this article we are celebrating Latin heritage with a recipe for Spicy Seafood Pasta. The weeklong observation began in 1968 by mandate of President Lyndon Johnson, and President Ronald Reagan […]
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WINNERS BY POPULAR VOTE WINNERS BY EDITORIAL DECISION A special thanks to all the participating photographers — There were so many excellent images, we wish we could give out dozens more prizes. The winners and a number of other photographs will be published in the October, 2017 issue of Revue. The next photo contest will be announced at the end of September […]
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Independence Day in Guatemala is on September 15. On Sept. 14, Guatemalan runners from across the country ready themselves for the passing of the torch, known as the “Antorcha de la Independencia.” Year after year, the torch travels throughout Central America as a representation of the freedom and independence of the Central American peoples. In Guatemala, bystanders wave, whistle and […]
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Think obsidian, and probably a black, sharp rock comes to mind, not much of a gemstone, with a name that sounds more scientific than a glamorous jewel. Blame the name on a Roman explorer, Obsidius, who wandered into Ethiopia and brought the Caesars back the dark natural glass. Blame the plain-Jane black in your mind on the fact that most […]
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“Three tectonic plates meet in Guatemala and the result is a wild and crazy adventure park with high and beautiful mountains, crater lakes and hundreds of volcanoes to form the spine of the country.” This is one of the best descriptions of Guatemala I have found was recently posted by Vanderbilt University archaeologist Arthur Demarest in “Five Things I Love […]
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They’re all over the country this season, their bright colors in markets, gardens, on tables and along roadsides. And they belong here, more than we do. Zinnias are native, a kind of sunflower, related to daisies, native through Central America and Mexico and up into the Southwestern United States. They’re officially zinnia americanas, according to the German master botanist Zinn, […]
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Mendel Samayoa, an avid free-wheeling motorcyclist, holds a degree in architecture from the Universidad de San Carlos, and his artistic passions embrace film, theater and painting. His cinema credits include “Donde Acaban los Caminos,” “Looking for Palladin” (shot in La Antigua Guatemala), “La Vaca,” and the award-winning short films “Sweet Dalila” and “La Paciente.” Samayoa has undertaken impressive theatrical productions […]
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My gaze fell upon a sparrow with tiny fledglings that at this moment were trying their wings under the patient guidance of the mother. A quiet, warm afternoon, I was sipping coffee in the small patio with multi-colored flowers in kaleidoscopic array under the radiant sun. My gaze fell upon a sparrow with tiny fledglings that at this moment were […]
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Amalia’s Kitchen. A Fun Way to entertain Guatemalan style. It sure is that time of year in the United States when family and friends gather to enjoy the warm weather months cooking outdoors. In Guatemala, thankfully, this happens all year long! In Guatemala, a cookout is called a churrasco, and like the English word barbecue, it can refer to either grilled […]
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How climate change impacts livelihoods in Guatemala. Guatemala is one of the most ecologically diverse nations on the planet, containing a vast abundance of natural resources. Many are unaware, though, how the areas in this region are being affected by threats from environmental degradation and climate change. Rural food producers who depend on natural resources face challenges. Meanwhile, Guatemala is […]
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The Good Reads review describes “Center of the World” as “New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Sheehan’s evocative and emotionally compelling novel, a mother and her adopted daughter each embark on a journey of self-discovery in the wake of a stunning revelation.” “Sheehan’s writing is lively and vivid and her feel for historical detail is fine.” — The New York […]
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Multinational Capitalism vs Traditional Cultures Preservation: Monoculture vs Biodiversity Preservation Guatemala offers foreigners and locals alike a steady stream of off-the-wall, perplexing and downright strange occurrences and situations. It’s one of the qualities of the country that has kept me coming back for three consecutive summers from Washington, D.C., and has lured thousands of extranjeros to relocate to the country […]
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