Indigenous Resistance and the Fight for Justice: Lessons from a Week in Guatemala

Over February reading week, I had the incredible opportunity of travelling to Guatemala through StFX’s Immersion Service Learning Program. The trip was organized by Breaking the Silence (BTS), a network of activists across the Maritimes who work with partners in Guatemala to advocate for social justice and give others the opportunity to learn from and experience Guatemalan history and culture. The experience left me and my fellow peers with an unforgettable impression of the colonial oppression which underscores Guatemala's magnificent natural splendor, as well as a profound admiration for the courage of the country’s Indigenous people in their pursuit of justice. 

            The first and last days of our trip were spent in Guatemala City, where we learned about Guatemala’s tumultuous history and the ongoing legacy of political oppression. In the 60s-90s, the Internal Armed Conflict resulted in the massacre, displacement, and disappearance of hundreds of thousands of people, including the genocide of Guatemala’s Indigenous Mayan population. We visited the Casa de la Memoria, which translates to the House of Memories, a museum that commemorates the suffering and resilience of Indigenous people in Guatemala from the beginning of Spanish colonization, to the atrocities committed during the Internal Armed Conflict, to the ongoing government repression that activists face today. These experiences were a heavy but crucial learning experience, setting the stage for us to witness the incredible determination, strength, and diversity of Guatemala’s Indigenous peoples throughout the rest of our trip. 

            We spent four nights at the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute, a field school focused on revitalizing Indigenous food systems and educating visitors about agroecology. During our stay we toured the gardens, learned about endless creative methods of living in tune with the land (including a solar oven and composting toilets!), and participated in a culinary workshop where we cooked and shared a meal made with locally sourced foods. Javier, BTS’ Guatemala coordinator, taught us about Mayan cosmology and the different language groups that make up distinct groups within the Mayan population. 

            Every day of our trip was packed with experiences that gave us a glimpse of how Indigenous people are using their traditional knowledge to thrive in a landscape of ongoing socioeconomic injustice. We participated in a weaving workshop in the city of Santiago, learning about how a co-op of family-run businesses is working to revitalize traditional Mayan weaving in the face of ongoing stigma. In the village of Santa Cruz, we learned about how the community is working to sustain itself and the environment through sustainable aquaculture and farming practices.  

We also had several experiences visiting organizations that are directly resisting political injustice and fighting for their lands. We visited the Campesino Committee of the Highlands and learned from activist Leocadio Juracán, whose advocacy for agrarian reform has earned him multiple federal charges and arrests. On the last day of our trip, we visited a resistance encampment on the territory of the Indigenous Xinka people and learned about their continued efforts to resist the encroachment of a Canadian mining company that has been poisoning their local waters. Each of these experiences impressed upon us the courage of Indigenous groups in Guatemala in fighting to reclaim their lands and livelihoods against ruthless state power and criminalization. 

Ultimately, this was a perspective-shifting journey that truly widened our knowledge and left a lasting impression on each of us. It was a privilege to bear witness to the passion and resilience of these leaders and communities in Guatemala, who are dedicating their lives in a multitude of different ways to the fight for their traditions, lands, and people.  

Note: While there is too much to say about this trip in one short article, I’d recommend checking out breakingthesilenceblog.com/ to learn more about our trip and BTS’ social justice work in Guatemala!