Jehanne

van Woerkom

GUATEMALA: TESTIMONIES

1524, “Pedro de Alvarado and his men plunged into Guatemala and killed such a lot of Indians that a river of blood came into existence which is now the Olimtepeque.”

While the tourist operators are calling upon the foreigners to visit the descendants of the Mayas and to come and admire their ancient culture, that culture has been ridiculed for 500 years by those in power. The Indians are held in contempt, killed and thrown into mass graves.

But they have managed to preserve their message: respect for the earth, unity of man and nature, a life in which everything is shared and all riches of the earth will be to the benefit of all.

A pictorial story,

1986, 14 photo collages, 60 x 75 cm