Trip Schedule

May 5 - Guatemala City
May 6 - Guatemala City to El Estor
May 7 - El Estor
May 8 - El Estor to Rabinal
May 9 - Rabinal
May 10 - Rabinal to Río Negro
May 11 - Río Negro to Guatemala City
May 12 - Guatemala City to San Marcos
May 13 - San Miguel Ixtahuacán to Comitancillo
May 14 - Comitancillo to Antigua
May 15 - Antigua
May 16 - Guatemala City
May 17 - San Lucas Tolimán, Lake Atitlán
May 18 - Chimaltenango
May 19 - Chimaltenango to Antigua

GUATEMALA - MAY 2008

May 17 - San Lucan Tolimán, Lake Atitlán

Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) El Café Justicia coffee production site tour. Edgar, an agricultural technician, details the steps involved to produce the 100% Guatemalan coffee while Veronica provides translation. The apparatus in the photo is the siphon which separates leaves, bad berries, and the pulp from good coffee berries. Prior to the siphon, the coffee beans are soaked in the processing tank for two hours which encourages the removal of the pulp surrounding the beans.


These tanks are where the cleaned coffee beans ferment for upwards of 24 to 48 hours.


These patios are used to dry the coffee beans. Once washed, the water helps to distribute the coffee beans onto the patios for drying. Since there is no electricity at the production site, the beans are manually turned every half hour.


Newly planted coffee plants.


Fields where the coffee plants are planted and grown.
(Photo credit: Catherine Nolin)


Compost is a very important nutritional addition in infertile soils. In Guatemala, the richer agricultural lands are reserved for large Fincas, generally, international companies to produce bananas, palm oil, sugar cane, coffee, and cotton.
(Photo credit: Catherine Nolin)


Following the on-site tour we travelled to the CCDA head office located in Quixaya (just outside of San Lucas Tolimán) to meet with Leocadio Juracán, the Executive Director of the CCDA, presented the mandate of the CCDA. The CCDA, established in 1982, is concerned with protecting indigenous lands and people while providing food security, development training, and loans to their community.
(Photo credit: JP Laplante)


The CCDA produces jam, sugar, textiles, shampoo, and coffee.
(Photo credit: Catherine Nolin)


An unforgettable dinner in San Lucas Tolimán near Lake Atitlán. A little well done, no?
(Photo credit: Catherine Nolin)


Previous - Next

Trip Overview

In May of 2008, Dr. Catherine Nolin of the University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George, British Columbia, Canada), along with several undergraduate and graduate students, went on a 2 week delegation led by Grahame Russell of Rights Action to Guatemala to meet with a number of indigenous Mayan communities and speak with them about their experiences. Issues explored included the genocide of the early 1980's and the environmental and human impacts resulting from land use changes due to Canadian mining development.

The trip itinerary involved travel throughout the country starting from 'la capitale' or Guatemala City. To read about each day's events, click on the location links provided. A complete map of the itinerary is available here.

Site Design © 2008 by Claudette Bois -- Questions or comments?