Guatemala

Some 1,500 years ago the advanced Maya Indian empire flourished in what is now Guatemala. Today more than 60 percent of the population is of Mayan descent, and 21 Mayan dialects are spoken in the country. Soaring mountain peaks cross Guatemala from east to west; these highlands are home to half of the population, primarily impoverished Indians. Thousands of these people migrate seasonally to the southern coast to work in large coffee, cotton and sugarcane plantations. In Guatemala, a wealthy minority controls the prime farmland. As a result, 60 percent of the population manages to live off 12 percent of the nation's land.

Since 1954, when Guatemala's democratic government was ousted, the country has experienced civil strife, a series of military coups and, beginning in 1986, army-influenced civilian rule. Political violence, much of it directed against Mayan Indians, has claimed 100,000 lives (with another 40,000 people having "disappeared" since 1961). Tens of thousands of Guatemalan refugees return home to very difficult circumstances. An economic struggle is evidenced by the high unemployment rate -- currently 45 percent, with another 25 percent of the population underemployed. The struggle of the common people for representation in government decisions continues, and is difficult to translate into statistics.

One important source of income for some of Guatemala's citizens is handicraft production. A number of artisan associations are currently active in Guatemala, providing support, coordination, training and marketing services for craftspeople. Across the country, skilled artisans produce items including bracelets, embroidered items, crocheted "hackey sacks," hand-loomed products, brightly colored woven fabrics (as well as woven vests, bags, wallets and briefcases), and a variety of other assorted crafts.