Part 36 "Mah Jongg Set, Guatemalan Style"

Michelle writes:
The reason for my return to Santiago was to pick up my special request from a local fair trade craftsman: a Mah Jongg set with a Guatemalan theme. If you are not familiar with Mah Jongg, it is a Chinese game, made popular in America by New York Jewish women in the 1920s.

In Pocatello, we were introduced to this fun game by a 95-year-old woman, the mother of a friend of mine. Since then, a couple of Chinese women have taught us the Asian version, which is much more complex and challenging. They say the elders in China don´t suffer from Alzheimer's due to Mah Jongg's keeping one's mind sharp and alert. Mah Jongg is a perfect pastime for the over 50 crowd and for younger people, as well.

To learn more about Mah Jongg and see a tutorial for American Mah Jongg, go to the March 2010 section of Cheryl's blog:
http://myturntodayyourstomorrow-cheryl.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-mah-jongg-madness.html   

I have a beautiful bamboo and bone set, from the 1920s, that I bought in North Dakota last fall.  This new Guatemalan set is made of wood with local characters: the quetzal, tortuga, Mayan calendar symbols, and dragons. It's a new twist on an old game and perhaps a new fair trade product!

Part 35 "Textiles of Guatemala"

Michelle writes: 

Textiles are by far the most common handcraft in Guatemala. They are woven on back strap or floor looms and then sewn together to create width for hammocks, curtains, and bedspreads.

I purchased a shawl with the Santiago pattern. While I was watching the Lenten procession, two people came up to me and stroked my shawl, which was wrapped over my arm. Then, they stroked their own shawls, then mine again. I understood this as a way of exhibiting  a connection to their Mayan culture and their expression of appreciation. This was followed by the cheek-to-cheek embrace so common here. No language was needed in order to connect on this spiritual plane.