Market Day in Livingston, Guatemala

Market Day in Livingston, Guatemala

Map of Livingston, Guatemala

Livingston is a municipality in the department of Izabal in northeastern Guatemala, bordering Belize. The seaport of Livingston is located at the mouth of the Río Dulce (Sweet River) which empties into the Gulf of Honduras, part of the Caribbean Sea. It might seem odd that there is a town in Guatemala which has an “English-sounding” name. It’s named after Edward Livingston (1764-1836), an American politician who served in the U.S. Congress and as U.S. Secretary of State from 1831 to 1833. He was the principal author of the Livingston Codes, a set of penal reform laws which were originally written for Louisiana in the 1920s, but later translated into Spanish and adopted by Guatemala in 1836. They didn’t last long as Guatemala abolished them about a year later.

Livingston is a remarkable place, especially notable for unusual mix of Garifuna, Afro-Caribbean, Maya, and Ladino people and culture. A number of languages are spoken including Spanish, Garifuna, Mayan Q’eqchi’, and English.

The artwork for the puzzle “Market Day in Livingston, Guatemala” was created Rebecca Barrera. She is a Guatemalan artist whose grandfather was born in Livingston. In the artwork, you can see the iconic port of Livingston in the background. It is not uncommon to see large pods of dolphins and an occasional manatee in these waters. The characters reflect the Afro-Caribbean traits of the people who live in this part of Guatemala. Also, the grandmother is shown in dressed in clothing common among the Garifuna. Livingston’s history is closely linked to fruit production, especially bananas and Rebecca’s painting includes bananas, strawberries, and pineapples, all important Guatemalan exports.

We asked Rebecca to write a statement about herself to share on our blog and this is what she said:

“Born in Guatemala, I have stars in my eyes, wild hair, the universe on my mind. and magic in my hands. My talent for communicating through drawing began when I was 3 years old and I haven't stopped since. I love books, outdoor spaces, the ocean, and art in general, I see beauty even where others don't see anything. Living through my imagination and my artistic talent is my greatest aspiration. I always carry a pencil and my notebook with me.”

Twenty-year-old Rebecca speaks proficient English. She is quick to share that she has deep bilateral deafness and hears using a cochlear implant. She was not born deaf, but slowly lost her hearing over time. Now, she a vibrant college student with plans to continue her dream to live as an artist. You can see more of her artwork by following her on Instagram.