Civil War in Guatemala

For almost four decades, civil war ravaged and divided the nation of Guatemala. The warfare permanently scarred and changed the people of Guatemala, creating a cultural divide between old and new. Isabelle, an indigenous Mayan woman from Solola, spoke with the entire TTS21 group about her personal experiences with the war, her life as a teacher, and her vast knowledge of Mayan culture. When Isabelle was a young girl in Guatemala she faced the oppressive government and culture prejudice. She struggled through situations as a woman but was able to push herself to achieve goals many women do not reach. Growing up in a large family was something normal for Isabelle, and they were all very supportive of her dreams to become a teacher. Now Isabelle is a teacher in her local community and continues to advocate for education.
When asked to go into detail about her experience growing up in a country filled with civil turmoil, Isabelle began to tear up just thinking about the terrible things she witnessed. At one point in her past women were forced to stay in their homes from 6am until 6pm, giving them no freedom.
Several of the TTS21 girls reacted to Isabelle´s emotions when she spoke about her past. They were all able to understand the difficulty of being a woman in such a terrible situation. TTS21 student Ruth mentioned, "I never even knew about the Guatemalan Civil War, let alone how difficult it was."

Emelia tries a Trata

After the conversation with Isabelle, all of the TTS21 girls were offered the chance to try on Tratas, traditional Mayan outfits that women wear in Guatemala. All of the girls described the Tratas as beautiful works of art considering they were hand woven. --Annalise, Senior from WY

Isabelle looking on with a smile