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Oh Guatemala, oh Santiago de Atitlán!

Guatemala is its mountains, its hills, its forests and lush jungles, its volcanoes asleep, or in full eruption originating fiery rivers of lava…

Guatemala is its crystalline natural pools or pools, its majestic Mayan ruins, its towns, its people, its joyful chapina jokes, its birds… its queen bird, the quetzal, reflected in its flag…

Guatemala is its colors, its fruits…

Guatemala is its magical Lake Atitlán, crater of a volcano, today protected by its three volcanoes: San Pedro, Toleimán and Atitlán; and escorted by its saints, evangelists and apostles: San Pedro, San Lucas, San Juan, San Marcos, San Pablo… and the genuine Santiago de Atitlán, cradle of the Tzutujiles.

And the Tzutujil legend goes like this…

Once upon a time there was Santiago de Atitlan, a Tzutujil people who lived in fear of a possible invasion by the Kaqchiquel people on the other side of the river.

María, a beautiful Tzutujil girl, walked in fear, carrying a jar full of water from the river on her head. She took a little step, two, three… and her foot tripped over a stone, thus breaking the jar. The shattered jar left a river of water flowing, forming the enchanted Lake Atitlán…  

Santiago or Skihay, “House of the Birds”, looks since then proud and brave.

The women, with their cuts and huipiles embroidered with flowers and multicolored birds.

The men, with their hats, striped pants and red shirts, representing the blood spilled by the Apostle James.

“I am from Santiago de Atitlán” the children of Panaj and Mateo Herrera 1 proudly cry out.

Because yes, Santiago is peace, Santiago is fair, Santiago is joy, Santiago is the bustle of its market incessantly from dawn to dusk …

Santiago is its fishermen, its cayuco makers, its women doing the laundry on the shores of the lake, its children running happily through the streets, all its inhabitants and its anonymous “good morning” and “good riddance” as if they were close friends…

Santiago is his tortillas, his tacos, his tamales, his atoles, and his beans…

Santiago is his cigars, cigarettes, liquors, tealights and other offerings made to the powerful Maximón, deity for some, and Guardian of Good and Evil.

Santiago is first and foremost an identity…

For all of this, my dear Santiago, dear Atitecas of my heart, I do not say good-bye to you, but chaw chik and maltyox (see you later and thank you!) Take care!!!

Andrea Fernandez