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Special Editon

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nce again we present to you our edition of FUNDATED News, where you will find

original articles on various topics but particularly we want to highlight the

importance of our traditions Guatemalan.

What are the traditions? ... Are certain social facts corresponding to a custom and

are transmitting from one generation to another to become a tradition.

Each town or region of a country can develop their very own traditional

expressions, that distinguish them from others, well as there also exist traditions in

a nation, Our traditions are enclosed in the word called "folklore" and differ from

each other because of the different types of features they possess; they

encompass all the knowledge concerning in a culture and therefore can be

transmitted orally, they can be located geographically, they are functional and

anonymous.

Guatemala is a country of traditions. A country of colors, customs and personalities

and through their expressions, builds the identity of its habitants.

The smell of sawdust during “Semana Santa” or Holy Week, The processions

enveloped in incense, nativity scenes for Christmas, Marimba*, the Christ of

Esquipulas, the colorful Mayan costumes and the giant kites of Santiago

Sacatepéquez; they build our Guatemalan identity and we get to miss them

when we are out of our country.

One of the traditions of this time of year, are the processions and their passage

through the streets of various parts of the country, remembering the passion, death

and resurrection of Christ. The largest processions in the Guatemala City and

Antigua Guatemala are transmitted on national television and on the Internet, so

that the world may know and share this the Guatemalans this beautiful tradition.

All our traditions make us the country we are, they become in one of the ways that

will always binds us to it, makes us identify each one from others and gives us a

sense of belonging. Therefore is necessary to know our most popular traditions

and rescue those who have been left forgotten to continue rooted with our origins.

O

We encourage the Guatemalan people to know and keep our traditions, because

they are a means to stick together and strengthen our identity.

*Marimba: The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of

wooden bars with resonators.

Editorial Board

Fundated News

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_instrument

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussion_instrument

By: Mario Julio Salazar.

’m not that sure of that, I think it was the 2nd of December the last year. I'd be

lying if I hold that exactly that date. It was 7:00 in the morning. Of that, I am

sure, because my alarm sounded, which would have scheduled for that time.

Sounding the alarm and almost immediately, I felt the smell of fresh home

made coffee.

That makes me awake completely.

I remember that I did not want to get up because I felt a cold much stronger than

the normal; the bed was warm and I felt really tired. But that whiff so particular,

wakes me up every second more and more.

I also have present that in that moment I had the feeling, that at any time, the

smallest of my children would enter the room, he would uncover me and would

come under the duvet to warm himself next to me on the same pillow we share

each morning.

The minutes passed and I began to suspect that something was not in the right

place. I did not hear the steps of Nicolas ran from his room to mine. That was just

the thing that did not fit into at all in the whole scene. Something happened to him?

Did he fallen asleep more than usual? Hopefully yes, because if so, he was giving

me a few more minutes to continue sleeping.

I did that, but something told me that it was too good

to be true!

That smell of fresh home made coffee was inviting me,

more and more each time, to get up.

“Too much cold”, I was saying to myself …” I'll try to

sleep a little longer because, if I'm not wrong, today is

Sunday”.

It seems that the morning was definitely plotting to

make me leave my bed and finally get up.

I

The smell was unbearable and I had to try it. In addition, with the “plus” of the

traditional noise when you put an egg frying in the pan and you imagine it in the

same dish accompanied by toasted bread.

It was enough! I couldn’t resist any more and I ended giving me up.

At the time that I give the first step, I realized that what I suspected become a

reality much pleasant than I could imagined.

I was not in my bed, neither in my room and what a big surprise because it wasn’t

my country too.

I was 13 flight- hours from where I used to sleep at night and be awakened the

next day by Nicolas, my youngest son.

It was at that moment that I realized that the night before I had shared a nice

dinner with Enrique and Anne Grethe. With the dinner, we shared a few glasses of

wine, which probably inclined to me to reschedule my alarm before bed.

Enrique, Spanish-blooded and tremendous

friend had awaked a little before me to

prepare breakfast and continue with the talk-

table that we had begun a few hours earlier.

Anne Grethe, his wife, Norwegian birth and

especially a remarkable woman, was out in

the snow to buy some bread for breakfast.

Both are close friends of whom I am honored

to know. I had been invited by them to spend

a night at his home in the town of Fredrikstad,

a few hours from Oslo, by train. The cold, the

ice, the snow and the temperature of -02 degrees had not prevented us feel and

remember that time had ever passed since the last time we met at my house in

Guatemala.

For moments I wondered what made me not miss my mores even if in that moment

I was thousands of miles separated from them? I immediately responded and I

knew that I had never left behind. I took them with me and in the moment I entered

in the house of Enrique and Anne Grethe, the tradition of our laughter over dinner

that was repeated for a lot of years, represented the culture of our friendship.

Our friendship is one in a million of the cases, that like me, had friends in other

continents and over the years, the different ways of seeing life in our societies,

instead of separating us just bring us closer.

It's amazing how, being so different, humans are so equal between each other. We

see life in the same way but call it with a different name.

Culture as it, identifies the origin we have; do what we like and respect, what we

believe that only us can make. However, it is formed by a series of events that are

repeated with some consistency and we call tradition. The world has become so

small, that keeping the tradition of not losing contact between people we consider

our friends, is a culture: cultures of friendship that place world in the same frame of

equity, trustfulness, of friendship without distinction of raze creed or religion.

The important thing of being lucky of having this experience is that even if the time

passes we are not making it dissolve. We are letting the culture of friendship touch

the harts of the people who live in this planet.

I keep dreaming every night, of having again the opportunity of awaking the next

day with that smell of home made fresh coffee, go down the stairs of a house, no

matter which one, but find Enrique cooking the breakfast, my dear friend and

Spanish-blooded.

Enjoy the memories with the Ex Spor Participants, who have had the

opportunity to share different traditions in their exchanges to Norway,

Tanzania and Guatemala.

PRINTS FROM NORWAY……

THE COTTAGE

My Sami Family had many traditions, totally different of what I do with my family in

Guatemala, such as going to the cabin in winter, ice fishing, start a fire in the snow

and cook sausages, but due to weather, we went to the winter cabin using

snowmobiles to reach there.

My father in Guatemala really enjoys handle a

motorcycle, in different conditions, but has been an

activity that even if do not happen often, is invaluable

to both. What a Big coincidence in Norway like in

Guatemala, I was using a motorcycle with my dad.

I love the time that I drive motorcycle in the snow

and go to different places, like The Tundra

(picture), the cottage or simply to an other place.

In the cottage everyone together with my family,

we used to talk and share a good time.

I like that the family group goes from the

grandparents to the grandsons. The picture is

from the time that I get to see the extension of

the Tundra in the outlands of Kautokeino; in the picture is

my dad Jan Olav (in the left) and Ole Nicklas (in the right). I will

keep these memories forever…

By: Aaron Bendfeldt. Ex Spor; phase # 18

BRANDING REINDEERS

The Sami culture is really surprising, very much like ours,

many experiences that i lived left their mark on me.

One of them was branding reindeers, I had not

the slightest idea of how to do it and how big were their

offspring’s. With a bit of fear I went closer to where

they were, we took them one by one and put them

apart from their mothers, each group of reindeers had a

different brand. I asked why the reason was, and they asked

me: to the child of a herder are given a different brand since he is a

baby so that when they became a herder can identify their reindeer; each

brand was different and unique.

What caught my attention the most was seeing children between 4 and 5

years with their parents going to the mountains to take care of their reindeers,

learning the job with great interest and pride, moving with a Tipi* from place to

place, learning and living their customs and traditions since childhood.

Tipi*: A tipi (also tepee and teepee) is a conical tent traditionally made of animal

skins and wooden poles used by the nomadic tribes and sedentary tribal dwellers

(when hunting) of the Great Plains.

By: Jacqueline Morales; Ex Spor #18 n/s

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains

PRINTS FROM TANZANIA……

MUSIC FROM THE HART

Musicians from the heart, how a Tanzanian can start a day without music?

Impossible. Music around the house: around the whole town showing the

happiness that they have inside them. No matter what the situation is, you will

hear music in everywhere. I get to learn a song in just a few days; because if it is a

new hit in the radio you will hear it as a soundtrack all the day.

Nothing could impress me more than realized that a Tanzanian

without music is incomplete, he need it, he love it, he can not

pas a day without hearing it, and is incredible how many

rhythms can be together. Hip-hop, Bongo-flava, reggae,

gospel and more. Breaking beliefs; the music

connects them to each other, doesn’t matter the

religion the musical tone of gospel music make them

one by singing the songs.

On the street you appreciate the people playing an

instrument, singing, dancing, hearing very loud music, with

headphones, alone, in group, in the car, in the bicycle, in the radio, in

the phone, music videos all over. Definitely the music goes everywhere.

What a musical culture, I get to love it more, but what i love the most is that they

feel really happy and proud if you are singing and enjoying their music.

By: Patricia Maria Martinez; Ex Spor # 5 s/s.

PRINTS ON ME!

I’m not going to talk about one, but two of the traditions. One, to COTIDIANA: a

word. The second; a show that take place in Bagamoyo since a lot of years;

already a tradition.

Was one of the first words that I learned in kiswahili and probably one of the words

that I will never stop saying even far from Africa: “karibu”. This term has leave a

mark in me because of their multiple meanings, all of them with the intention of

share and bring with the people an join them. It can be understood as “welcome”,

“you are welcome”, and “you are welcome to come in”, “feel free to take it. It

leaves a mark in me because is the first word you hear when you just arrived

and is the last word that people say when you are leaving, inviting you

to be part of them.

The other tradition that leaves a mark in me is the

Art Festival in Bagamoyo, organized by the

collage TASUBA, it take place each September.

I feel my self so lucky for had the opportunity to

attend to many of the presentations, were

dancers, acrobats and musicians from all over

Africa and beyond made their perform with all the

splendor during a week. That was the demonstrations

that in Bagamoyo in such small town can be huge

events and a lot of festivals, were the African culture

decked their selves and wet to feel proud of it salve.

The event is open to the tourists and the local community, so because of that it is a

great opportunity to know and strengthen the identity of the town by their

representations of their artistic expressions, from traditional dances to new

movements and rhythms.

By: Julio Antonio Urizar; Ex Spor # 5 s/s.

MY BEAUTIFUL GUATEMALA!!!

By: Diana Montenegro.

When we get to see the sun since early in the

morning and it is pretty shinning, we know that

the summer starts in Guatemala. We can see

processions, carpets made of sawdust; the Holly

Week starts and for the catholic people means the

commemoration of the life, passion and death of

Jesus.

But to me what i like the most of those days is the

delicious food; we get to enjoy many dishes like

“jocotes en miel” ( a fruit in Guatemala cooked with

honey), mole (Guatemalan food made of banana,

chocolate and sesame seeds), buñuelos (bread

sweetened with sugar and honey) sweetened mangos,

torrejas (Bread with caramel inside and covered with

brown honey) garnachas ( Typical food of Guatemala

made from a small tortilla with meat, vegetables, sauce,

and dry cheese on the top) and Of course I could not

miss the Dry Fish with Vegetables.

The food is something that I enjoy very much with

my family.

Our food, our traditions, our customs made us

unique. My beautiful Guatemala, I couldn’t

change my beautiful country for anything.

SAN SYLVVESTER’S RUNNING RACE

By: Edgar Montenegro.

With this name are known different popular athletic races, which are played annually around the world on December 31, day of St. Sylvester as the Catholic calendar.

In Guatemala thousands of competitors involved since 1957, with the peculiar

difference that here, there are prizes for costumes.

Several activities we made in Guatemala to celebrate the New Year, as the San Sylvester race. I remember last year that during the event I could see a series of color-filled costumes that make the rice so full of colors. One of the highlights was the "Tashimovil". That you can appreciate in the picture. The distance of the test is 10 kilometers, starting on one side of the “Centro Comercial de la zona 4” and ends in front of the entrance of the stadium “Mateo Flores” in zona 5.

These are the categories:

female from 20 years and up

Male from 20 years and up

Yung Female From 14 up to 19 years

Yung Male From 14 up to 19 years

Costumes Free edge

"LA HUELGA DE DOLORES" ¿WHAT IS IT?

By: Barbara De Leon.

La Huelga de Todos los Dolores del Pueblo

de Guatemala is a tradition starring primarily

by the students of the Universidad de San

Carlos de Guatemala ("sancarlistas" from the

heart), it is celebrated during the Easter and

the most special day is "Viernes de Dolores".

La Huelga de Dolores was born in 1898

when the ex president Manuel Estrada

Cabrera gave the poblation the freedom to

express their needs and disagreements, the creative students saw this as an

opportunity to manifest satirically and that's how on April 1st of 1898 the first

Huelga de Dolores was celebrated.

Since then, thousands of students from all the

academic units of the University participate in the

satirical parade, it means, using mockery to

express outrage or dissatisfaction of the situation

of the country, criticizing politicians and citizens of

Guatemala society. This "bufo" (snorted) parade

goes trough the streets of the historic center of

Guatemala City.

Another important fact of the "Huelga de Dolores"

tradition, is "La Chalana", the sancarlistas anthem, other call it "El Son de Guerra

de los Estudiantes sancarlistas y de la Huelga de Dolores". An important person

who participated in the creation of this famous song

was Miguel Ángel Asturias, who, at that time, was a

law student in the University.

It is important that we keep the traditions as long as

we take care and respect the cultural heritage of our

country.

BIRTHE RIISNES,

BIRTHE RIISNES, with twenty-tow years old, is from Norway and is our special guest

this edition and in our country. She came to Guatemala as a volunteer and is

living in PATZUN, Chimaltenango.

Les’s know more about her in this interview FUNDATED made to her.

FUNDATED: What do you do in Norway, your

country?

BIRTHE: What I do is study Civil Engineering, the last

June I finished three years of study and since July of

that same year, I start working in construction as part

of a project where I was just as assistant and

responsible of “HSD” (Health, Security and

Environment). I worked in that project until

December to have enough money for travel.

FUNDATED: Why did you decided to came to Guatemala?

BIRTHE: I want to experiment something different, I always knew that I have

to take a tame and stop my studies, but I really want something more that

just travel, I want to know people and know their culture, a culture that I

didn’t know anything about it. That make me talk with a friend that is part of

the SPOR program, about volunteering, she has being in Tanzania, her

name is TUVA, and she has being one of my best friends. She knew

something about volunteering in Guatemala and she gave me the contacts.

I start communication with Norma Lopez, who talked to me about how many

time I want to stay in Guatemala and what I could make here, she prepared

everything about my trip, and finally I decided to come because it was a

great opportunity that I can not let it pass.

F: When you go back to Norway, what is going to be the first thing you

are going to tell your friends and your people?

B: The moment I met my family, the people in PATZÚN and here in Fundated;

The goodness in everything since I came and how well received I get to felt.

Although people have very little, they go ahead; they are happy with what

they have and with their life and always show respect and equality between

them.

F: How did you feel in Guatemala? I need you to tell me something

positive and something negative.

B: I love the nature and climate of Guatemala, even if it is not the most

important thing but it is something that I really like, the goodness of people, I

love food like tortillas with guacamole and salsa.

The negative is how insecure people lives here, I used to go out at any time

and any where I want, but when I want to do it here, people tell me that it is

not safe after six in the evening and that is better to not go; that makes me

block the desire to go out to know and experiment.

F: How do you see FUNDATED and people working in the

organization?

B: I have a very good impression of the organization, the people are very

professional, I do not know details about how is the work here, but the first

impression is that they are very dedicated to their work. I like the spirit of

support they have in FUNDATED.

F: Is there any advice you could give FUNDATED and people who work

here?

B: Keep up the good work and continue doing what they do to help people.

F: How was the welcome your family in PATZÚN?

B: It was very pretty, very

special, although my Spanish is

not very good but it improved

with the passage of time. I

came, then they put me in my

room, after that I was introduced

to the two girls in the house,

they hugged me, grabbed my

hand, we went to the market and

then they took me back home,

they give me a copy of the key, so I could go out and in when I needed it,

they were very gentile and kind since the beginning. Every time they try to

help me with my Spanish and that makes it a beautiful experience.

Something that makes me feel uncomfortable sometimes is that they live

differently than I used in Norway; the food is different and I struggled a bit,

the family is always working on something in the house, to clean, for

example, and when I just want to sit and talk to them, you can not do it, I go

to my room and sit there because they have no place to share like this.

F: Is there anything that impressed you the most when you just came

to Guatemala?

B: Apart of the situation of insecurity, I think Guatemala is a country more

developed than I thought, or at least, is on track to achieve a little more

development, the people are friendly and try to do more of what they have,

They love their country and fight every day to bring it up, that impressed me

the most from Guatemala.

F: Would you tell your friends about your experience in Guatemala to

engage in volunteering?

B: Yes, definitely

F: From 1 to 10, what score you would give us:

B: FUNDATED: 9

FUNDATED Workers: 9

Operation mode and Organization of

FUNDATED: 9

Family: 9

F: Would you like to experience this again?

B: If I could, yes.

F: What would you change about this

experience?

B: Read a bit more about Guatemala and of

course, study a little more Spanish.

F: Final words, a phrase that you would like to

share:

B: Today I told my mother, "I feel I'm in the right place and the right

situation."

GUATEMALA, LEAVING PRINTS ON THE

HEART….

Hola!

We are four students from Norway studying child

welfare at the University of Stavanger. During

our studies, we have to practice our skills for one

semester. The first two months were in Norway

at various places. The next three months are

going to be in Guatemala.

In Norway, equality and freedom of speech

stands very strong. Norway has come far when it

comes to equality and it is getting more and more normal that the dad takes a

bigger part of the work at home, which gives the mother an opportunity to create a

career. Equality between men and women has been an important political issue

after the law of equality (Likestillingsloven) was established in 1978. Freedom of

speech gives us legal rights to be able to have the lifestyle we choose and to say

what we mean, without the government interfering.

The reason we wanted to spend a part of our studies in Guatemala, was to give us

a new perspective on how Norwegian government is operating. By experiencing

the Guatemalan way of life, we hope that it will help us see the benefits and the

drawbacks of the Norwegian child welfare system.

It has been ten days since we arrived Guatemala City, and we have experienced a

lot! We could probably write a small book about all the impressions and

experiences we’ve had these few days, like the contrast of the structures within

and outside the city, the flower, animals and bugs we’ve never seen before, the

food, people and customs, and so on! To make it shorter we have decided to tell

you about the most significant experiences we have had so far.

What first struck us was how warm and welcoming the people are. Greeting friends

and family with a kiss on the cheek, saying “Buenos Dias!” to strangers in the

street and insist on helping if you are in some sort of difficulty are just some of the

things we noticed. Even on the plane from Panama to Guatemala, we could see

strangers talking to each other. This was new to us Norwegians, who hardly gives

a nod to each other in the streets, and mostly greets friends and family with a

common “helo”.

As mentioned earlier, equality stands strong in the Norwegian culture. Because of

this, one of the biggest contrasts for us has been the difference between genders

in Guatemala. To see how it is granted that females work at home and the men

takes care of finances by working elsewhere, is in our eyes contributing to a

patrialcalistic government. Without female interference in politics and economy, it

will be hard for equality to find its place in society. Even so, we can see how this

lifestyle is helping to create strong family connections and keeping important

traditions alive. In Norway, it has become more common that institutions like

kindergartens take a bigger part of raising the children while both of the parents are

working. This leaves less time for the family to be together for bonding and keeping

traditions alive. Over the next three months, we hope to get a better understanding

of the Guatemalan way of living, and in that way get a clearer perspective of the

benefits and drawbacks of our own society.

We want to thank Fundated, our host families and everyone else who is

contributing to make our stay both possible and enjoyable. We have had a fantastic

time in Guatemala so far and are looking forward to the rest of our stay!

Cheek-kisses from Ole, Kristian, Kristina and Marlene!

[email protected]

+502 24347982

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