As I sit here reflecting on my time in Rabinal with a cup of sweet black coffee in hand listening to the cacophony of roosters, there is one word that comes to mind as emblematic of my experience: curiosity. 

It’s hard to believe how quickly the 88 days since my arrival in Guatemala have flown by. 88 days filled with learning, observing, and listening. 88 days marked by curiosity. 

The majority of my time here has been spent with the Fundación Nueva Esperanza (FNE) at the CECBI, a local secondary school centred around historical memory and justice with a culturally relevant curriculum specializing in community development. Here, students learn about sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship while deepening their connection to the local indigenous Maya Achí culture. 

CECBI students preparing boxboles, a traditional dish made by rolling a corn flour dough in squash leaves, served with a tomato and pepita sauce.

One week into my Rabinal experience, I wrote in my journal “Folks here are very curious; ‘how old are you’, ‘are you married’, and ‘what’s your shoe size’ are just a few of the questions I get peppered with on the daily.” And this was just the start. 

As someone who was born with a heavy dose of self-consciousness, I have often strayed from asking too many questions, the wrong questions, or any questions at all. Fear of judgment has held me back from more experiences and interactions than I’d like to admit. Stepping into a new community and culture as a total outsider both in background and in looks, my self-consciousness was at an all time high. For fear of standing out even more, questions felt best to avoid. However, if my experience has taught me anything, it is to appreciate the value of curiosity.

Curiosity has taught me to seek beauty and opportunity for reflection in difference. Prior to my arrival, I was well-aware of the cultural differences around time and schedules. I expected folks to be more relaxed around deadlines and appointment times. The reality extends far beyond this; people’s attitude towards time is a reflection of the importance of collaboration and community within the culture. 

On my first day at the CECBI, I took a careful look at the lesson schedule, making a mental note of the 7:30 start time. What I didn’t realize was that sometimes, the school bus wouldn’t arrive till 8, because Thursday is market day and lugging 14 lbs of tomatoes to the bus takes time. Sometimes, planned lessons or exams would make way for students to play soccer or harvest yuca while teachers enjoyed pizza and a chat. Rather than adhering to a schedule, I’ve had the pleasure of savouring adherence to the land, to the heat of the sun and the intensity of the rain, and to the power of connection and laughter.

Joining the students to rehearse performances for cultural appreciation week.

The curiosity that permeates every interaction in Rabinal has encouraged me not only to ask questions but to say yes to experiences and to discomfort. It has taught me to be more spontaneous and less fearful. Mutual curiosity has brought about some of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had thus far; learning to tortillar with Tomasita and Marina, the sisters who single-handedly feed CECBI’s 107 students 5 days a week, dancing to Marimba music under the hot sun for hours with the students in a cultural celebration parade, and waking up at 4 a.m. to take in the beauty of Rabinal from the summit of Kaj Juyub’.

Tortillando with seño Marina

Curiosity’s frivolities include learning to shoe-away cockroaches with only a broom, catching baby turkeys when they escape the coop, and mastering the art of preparing rellenitos, a decadent plantain and black bean snack.

This brings me to the most important lesson I’ve learned from Rabinal: curiosity is a prerequisite for historical memory, and in turn, a prerequisite for justice. Whilst here, I have been moved by the strength of a community in the face of enduring pain and injustice. 

On March 13 1982, during the bloodiest years of the Guatemalan internal armed conflict and Mayan genocide, military forces carried out a massacre in Rio Negro, a small community not far from Rabinal. In response to push back against the Chixoy dam, a project that would forcibly displace the entire community without consent, 177 defenseless women and children in Rio Negro were massacred. 

The CECBI, founded by survivor Jesús Tecú Osorio, supports children whose families were most deeply impacted by the unimaginable violence suffered by the community. Most of the kids have grandparents and relatives that were killed in the massacre. At the CECBI, historical memory shapes education and plays a key role in the healing process and struggle for justice. Through mediums such as art, workshops, and fieldtrips, students have the opportunity to explore the history of their families and communities and learn about a story that must not be forgotten.

As the students so eloquently put it, how can anyone expect to learn from the past if they haven’t learned about it. And how can one learn about anything without a healthy dose of curiosity.

Participating in a Maya ceremony to mark the closing of the school year with CECBI students (and their mascot)