Our friend, Rafael, returns this week to talk to us about his homeland and its culture. As he explains, the Mayan culture continues to thrive in Guatemala via its language, clothing, and customs.

Federico Kauffman Doig began his career at the Museo Rafael Larco Herrera as a security guard. Today he is president of that institution and one of the world’s most respected archeologists, as well as a delightful and engaging speaker! This program originally appeared on Televisión Nacional del Perú as part of the esteemed artistic series, Presencia Cultural.

Federico was something of a wanderer in his early days, and describes himself as having been a “pre-hippy.” His father, intent that his son be something other than a vagabundo, probed Federico for any hint of passion, any calling. “It’s called archeology!” he yelled upon hearing that the young man enjoyed exploring ancient ruins.

If you are not yet a fan of Señor Doig, you don’t have a pulse! His jungle expeditions have led to the discovery of everything from the anatomically-blessed Pinchudos statues to the giant upright mummies found in a site known as Carajía. We’re ready for an expedition!

Federico Kauffman Doig has received the highest title the Peruvian government gives in honor of cultural achievment, Amauta. Sweden and Austria have also bestowed him with awards and titles. So is he ready to join the ranks of jubilados? No way! He still explores cliffs 4000 meters high and has far too many unfinished essays to even consider it for un momentito.

As an artesan, Javier Marin works with a variety of materials, employing many techniques to create his pieces. He has been kind enough to take the time to explain some of these materials and processes. Javier’s father, in the days well before email, used to transmit telegraph messages via morse code in the building adjacent to where his son now works.

Ecological awareness is universal these days, especially among young people. Javier explains his own use of natural and biological materials, a use that does not involve the destruction of any living creatures, but rather the reuse of materials that have been jettisoned by their original animal owners.

In Guatemala, people of Mayan descent not only retain various native forms of dress, but they also speak dialects of the Mayan language, a language many people wrongly presume to be long lost to history. Rafael treats us to some examples of words and phrases in this language, and also explains some of the particulars of traditional dress.

Vela, a word often used for “candle,” or “sail,” can also mean “wakefulness,” as in “vigilance.” It’s related to the verb velar, “to stand watch.” The name of the port city of La Vela de Coro refers not to the “sails” of merchant ships (as many assume) but rather to this town’s role as a “lookout” point for marauding pirates. One-eyed peg-legs are now less common, but the carnivalesque annual festival of Los Locos continues on.

Most English speakers have at some time in their lives heard Donovan sing “The Hurdy Gurdy Man,” but how many knew what such a man did? The woman in this video talks about a musical family that used to play the sinfonía, and indeed this is the Spanish name for the hand-crank organ known as a “hurdy gurdy.”

Juan paints outlines on his tiles using a paintbrush and manganese oxide, but at one time practitioners did this by laying down fine strings dipped in wax, and this explains why Juan still calls the technique he uses cuerda seca, or “dry cord.” Note that he describes the technique as one of alto relieve, or “high relief,” which is the opposite of bas-relief (low relief).

It’s quite possible that El Día de Los Locos, as celebrated in La Vela de Coro, has its roots as far back as the Roman Empire, which celebrated Saturnalia at the same time of year. Both festivals, historically, involve turning the social order on its head, with slaves dressing like their masters.

Deep in the heart of Old San Juan you can hear live salsa music playing most any night at the Nuyorican Cafe. We stepped into the alley for a breather and had a little chat with two lovely salseras to get an insider view of what brings them back to the dance floor night after night.

Nelly Ocacia and Benjamín Moldonado are both 19-year-old university students, and enjoy dancing with the Ballet Folklórico Guamanique when not studying. We caught up with them at the airport in San Juan, where they were welcoming new arrivals and seeing off departing passengers, much to the delight of travelers.

La Vela is a small town in the state of Falcón, on the northwest coast of Venezuela, where every December 28th Los Locos [“The Crazy Ones”] arrive wearing colorful and elaborated costumes. The whole town becomes a party, with businesses closing and people dancing in the streets. It’s a tradition that could be in any magical realism novel and that desperately struggles to not fall into oblivion.