Guatemala remains one of my favorite countries, the volcanoes, mist, the open air markets that line its busy streets, it is a place that I find myself returning to when given the chance. This summer I spent a few weeks there researching and producing a short film about lake Atitlán entitled, Mouth of the World.
Traditionally, the Mayan communities that surround Atitlán believes that the lake is the center of the universe. If you have the opportunity to spend some time there you quickly realize how one would arrive at this conclusion. Centered in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre mountain range, Lake Atitlán is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. There is something incredibly powerful about its landscape. This is especially true during the sunrise, the lake turns into a mirror, reflecting the volcanoes and clouds that surround its vast blue water.
The lake retains a huge influence over the identity of the communities that live along its shores and is immensely significant economically, socially, politically, and spiritually. The welfare of the communities around the lake is completely hinged on the environmental stability of its waters. Mouth of the World, investigates how the ecology of lake Atitlán reflects the identity of the local communities around its shores.
I still have to look at the interviews that I captured during the trip and translate them into English. I am excited to start the process soon. In the meantime here are a few images I captured during the trip.
