Consulting in the forest about where and how to situate the tourist facility.

An evening meeting in the school.

Houses made from local materials.

A villager who has cattle might graze them here.

Cattle constitute a farmer’s wealth, here where there are no banks (and no chance of finding a loan if there were). This farmer and his son are getting ready to inseminate a cow.

Trade with Mexico includes rice produced in Guatemala. Workers are carrying bags of it to ferry across the river.

A boat starts out to cross the Rio Usumacinta, taking tourists and others to Mexico.

Government checkpoint near the river landing, manned by soldiers. Widespread violence plagues El Petén, driven by pervasive drug trafficking.

Washing dishes at the cafe.

Tending the stove

Baking rolls

Women and girls carry water from a well to their homes. A girl of 11 would lift a 5-gallon water container, (usually plastic), and carry it on her head.

Washing clothes in a cement basin offers convenience and shade, and is easier on the laundress than washing in a river.

An ancient technique of of planting beans and corn together: the beans climb up the corn stalks, and enhance nitrogen in the soil to help sustain the corn.

Typical small corn patch with rustic house in background.

Visiting nurses train villagers in first aid. From this remote settlement it’s an hour’s drive on rugged roads to get to a hospital. Training for basic first aid as well as childbirth was an important support for villagers’ health.

At the first aid demonstration for the villagers.

Some of the topics the nurses covered in this two-day training were childbirth, rehydrating babies (here where infant diarrhea can be life-threatening), administering injections, and dealing with injuries.

Ramón, also known as breadnut, grows throughout central America and the Caribbean. In Petén the fruits are dried and pounded into powder to make a hot drink and also bread. Both fruit and leaves are traditional fodder for livestock. With its high antioxidant and low glycemic index, the powder has an export market. It is can also be used as a carbon sink and to restore damaged soil.

Plants of the dry forest: Jobillo, is used to stun fish for capture, and also in some cancer research; Mimbre or osier makes wicker items; Chicozapote trees produce chicle, the original ingredient of chewing gum, although now most gums are made from synthetic ingredients.

Students studying a tree.

On a lengthy walk through the dry forests of Tikal, Jose, a researcher and professor, leads a teacher training workshop.

Teacher training in the forest

Edgar Palma discussing a forest tree and its uses