Disparity of wealth is visible in Guatemala in many very obvious and tangible ways. In the municipality where I live and work it often correlates with race (Spanish or indigenous descent) and location (urban or rural). The reality of my current situation is that the town center, where most of the necessary basic services- the market, the health center, the municipal offices, are located is populated by the 2% of the population that is Ladino, or of Spanish descent. The outlying rural areas, where there are much higher rates of poverty and malnutrition, is where rest of the 98% of municipal citizens live, a sweeping majority of them of indigenous descent.
This disparity in my own town was almost sickeningly obvious to me a few weeks ago when I was invited to the first birthday party of a friend's child. There were over 100 guests present at the party, all of them well dressed and groomed, bearing presents wrapped in brightly colored paper. The party had clowns, pinatas, and an abundance of foods; it went on for hours. Meanwhile outside, a small hoarde of uninvited children watched the whole thing through dirty glass. Of course, not every child could have been invited, but the selection of who was and who wasn't, seemed less based on who was friends and more on socioeconomic status.
I was invited, though, and struggled with the implications of that. The party-throwers are my friends. The kids outside are my neighbors and impromptu playmates. So what am I supposed to do? I can play the outsider card, pretend I'm clueless and be friends with everyone. Or I can speak my mind, and loose friends and trust. It's a hard thing, at times, being an outsider in a new context, the very nature of our lives and jobs to analyze situations like this one that we see in our towns. So what do we do? I honestly, don't know.
3 comments:
Hey Charlotte -
I came across your blog because I just got an invitation to Guate for January and I'm wrapping my head around life for PCVs in country.
You hit some really complex issues in this post - when it comes down it, we talk and talk about socioeconomic disparity, but what do we actually do about it? This is a really interesting illustration of the complexities. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Steph
Char,
you said "Of course, not every child could have been invited, but the selection of who was and who wasn't, seemed less based on who was friends and more on socioeconomic status."
On that what came to me was, " or the truth is, they aren't friends with those outside of their socioeconomic status." I come across that a lot where I live and I am constantly trying to be a change agent, and gap-filler, pushing people to be friends with those they would normally just not notice. I do this by putting people in uncomfortable situations. Inviting people of opposite backgrounds and positions to come together, uniting the people. maybe i just stir up more trouble, but i always find parties to be a beautiful way to mix it up. so i say invite your friends (sans socioeconomic status, ie every single one as i know you are a wrangler ;) ), mix them together and then see what they do. show them the way a party's really supposed to be. Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple but also was an example to all. it may not provoke genuine change, but it's a start.
xox
Rebecca
aw, too sad! But it happens, even here in the states. my daughter's 8th bday is coming up, and while I can't give her the huge party she wants this year, I did tell her that we'd invite everyone in her class if we did have some sort of a fiesta. Last year a couple of mothers had parties for their kids, and the kids passed out invitations. Luckily Deja was on both lists but she told me that some of the uninvited ones cried because they didn't get an invite. It is all about impressing people, as far as I'm concerned their parents could be lawyers, doctors or the town drunk but if they were friendly with my kids they would get an invite irregardless-life is too short to worry about the little things.
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