Exploring the Guatemalan Kitchens Where Nutrition Comes to Life

Suzanne and I first visited Chocolá in 2004 as part of a volunteer group helping archaeologists investigate a pre-Columbian Maya site surrounded by volcanos on the Pacific piedmont in Guatemala.

Archaeologists speculate that in the time of the Maya, and the Olmecs before them, the ancient city of Chocolá may have been a major regional trading center, connecting cities in what is now Mexico to cities further south.

While the people of Chocolá today are predominantly of Maya descent, the area has a complicated history that includes Spanish, German, Italian and Scotch immigrants who came to the area during the development of coffee plantations and benefícios (coffee processing plants).  Even today one can see remnants of these influences in building design and decorative filigree.  

As I directed my camera to record images of the modest homes, kitchens and yards of Chocolá, I began to understand more deeply that, as in many cultures, the kitchen is often the center of the family universe.  In this tropical climate area, kitchens are sometimes in outdoor areas, sometimes in separate buildings, sometimes part of the main room of a house, but all are busy “family centers.” I often heard men and women singing or laughing happily as their little ones squealed while playing childhood games.

This photo essay reveals the inventiveness of people who might not have a lot of money, but who understand how to build and create – skills that are often reflected in their kitchens.  Kitchens are filled with treasured tools and provide shade from the hot tropical sun, warmth on chilly nights and shelter from the seemingly endless thunderous rains that make the landscape speak. 

Kitchens are where loving hands bring nutrition to life.