Transnationalism & Children without Fathers

I’m loving fieldwork but I would hardly call it work. I have been so fortunate here in Aguacatan. I arrived last Friday after a six hour chicken bus from Lake Atitlan to Aguacatan.  I was greeted at the home of Cecilia (Cecy) Solis, her husband Mack, and their eleven year old son, Carlos. They have been so hospitable to me and make a bucket shower amazing because they heat the water for me! Of course, that’s only a minor detail because the best part is that Cecy is personally interested in my research project. Migration and transnational families have become customary here. In fact, it is difficult to find someone without relatives in the States, usually Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and some in Alabama and of course, Bellingham, Washington.

Everyday has been like unraveling a mystery as I look for women with husbands in the United States. On Saturday, Carlos gave me a grand tour of Aguacatan. I’m slowly learning some words in Awakatek, which always gives the older ladies a chuckle when I try and use their Mayan language. It’s been great having Carlos by my side and someone to hang out with. He asked me on Saturday afternoon, “What do you want to do now?”. I said, “I want to start talking to women with spouses in the U.S. (kind of a weird request but he didn't think so)”. He was like, “oh ok. Follow me. My friend’s dad is in los estados. I don’t think he’s met him because he left after he was born but you can talk to his mom.” And it’s been that easy to talk to women in this difficult situation because migration is a way of life for Aguacatecos.

Then today I started volunteering with the health educators with the Centre de Salud. The health educators are three women who each day travel to a different local village and weigh children, give vaccines and offer consults with a doctor. Today we went to the community of Cantón, which is made up of most families with last names of Lopez and Rodriguez. I was excited because I knew this community had a lot of migrant families, and it sure did. The doctor let me introduce myself to the 40 or more women and children. I explained in Spanish that I was visiting to meet women who have family in the United States. I then realized quickly I needed to specify a spouse in the United States because everyone had at least brothers, cousins, or uncles in the States. I sat in gratitude as these women shared how their fathers left 10 years ago. The daughters then helped translate my questions from Spanish to Awakateko so that their mothers could explain how the decision for her spouse to leave has affected their families. Part of my grant from my university has let me pay for disposable cameras for the women. I've given them cameras, they are taking pictures of their family and children and then I will develop the photos and mail the pictures to their spouse in the States.

The effects of migration on this town are massive. People tell me that this is a major issue which is hardly recognized or discussed because migration is so common.  And I know this is only the beginning of realizing the enormity of the connections between their community and the United States and Bellingham.

My grand tour of Aguacatan. First stop: Rio San Juan. This river just gushes out of the middle of the mountain. The river is then channeled into an irrigation system that waters the entire agricultural valley.

The farming community grows just about everything but is known for its garlic and onion.

Another stop at the cemetery to see how their Dia de los Muertos went over.

This area of the cemetery was all babies.

Center of Aguacatan

I met Karina last month when I was working at Casa Materna in Huehuetenango. She was pregnant and waiting to give birth to her ninth child. I became very close with her and her husband, Lorenzo. She had a girl last Sunday and named her Kati :) Pretty special.