Guatemala is a country full of interesting encounters. It started when the Spaniards and the “indios” met centuries ago. Since over half a century, “indio” can

no longer be said out loud in public. Just like the prohi-bition of forced labour on coffee farms, it was written in to law. However, as it is so often the case in plutocracies, enforcement of certain laws is almost non-existent. Even today, after “13 Baktun” (1), encounters between differents cultures are an integral part of the average Guatemalan’s life, as the earth is still turning, only disturbed by the occasional earthquake.

The “noble” offspring of the “conquistadores” lack these encounters, as they never really bothered to get acquainted with the indigenous people and still think that being white and Spanish is the pinnacle of civilisation. Poverty and un-derdevelopment are invisible to their eyes at “Los Volcanes” raceway or the greens of La Reunion Golf Resort. Not even from their helicopters with blacked-out windows, during their 15-minute flight from Guatemala’s capital. Every now and then, one falls from the skies, giving way to countless obituaries in the local press over several weeks.

St. Peter hangs on his cross in the church of San Pedro Carchá, upside-down, his crotch up to the heavens. It is an honour and a pleasure only bestowed in Nicaragua and Guatemala in the whole of Central-America. Let us just hope he did not have his keys with him... Legend has it that he felt inferior to his heavenly master and for that reason, he did not want to be crucified in the same way as Him. Shaky knees instead of nodding slavishly... Humility is a lovely virtue, even more if you belong to the Catholic church and conveniently forget about the colonisation and its horrors.

Juan Matalbatz, an indian chieftain forgotten by time, hangs upright on the facade of the Catholic church of St. John in Chamelco, second corpse, first street to the right, next to a regal lion. Be careful, as one could easily loose one’s way

without his bulging eyes, looking frightened, chained to a wheel. This wheel looks a lot like the contraption Emperor Maxentius ordered St. Catherine to be tortured to death on. It has blades likes knives, greedily holding the sole indian chieftain, king of kings at the time of the conquest of the New World. It must have been quite a shock for Charles V when he saw this half-naked man, still soulless then, only wearing feathers in the European cold. He was the first indi-an ever to receive this honour. The Quechi’s Ah Pop O’Batz (2 & 3), who adhered to the local pagan belief, was convert-ed by pious Dominicans and became a full member of the Christian community. The same Dominicans who imported their black fellow-men to work as slaves in their sugar fac-tories (4), when the indians were almost exterminated and slavery was abolished for them, and for them only. The Lord gives and takes, and colour does make a difference when economic interests are at stake.

The wheel keeps turning. Every now and then, it loses a blade. Razor-sharp but just like St. Catherine, this people cannot be destroyed. Even though they are small in num-bers, their very own Ah Pop watches them, knowing his strategy eventually resulted in victory. In San Juan they still venerate Ah Pop and not Juan (John). The wheel keeps turning.

(1) 13 Baktun, the end of a time period and the begin-ning of a new in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar(2) Quechi, one of the indigenous peoples in Guatemala, like the Quiche, Mam and Kakqchikel(3) Ah Pop, chieftain of chieftains, title for a local leader(4) San Jéronimo, sugar factory and winery for quite some time, until the Spanish king feared its competition.

Patrick VercoutereCultural guide Guatemala, for a different way of travelling

www.adrenalinatours.com

What do Juan Matalbatz, upside-down St. Peter and the wheel of St. Catherine have in common?