Natün-Empowering Maya Communities: Using Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom to Create Programs in Education, Nutrition and Health, and Community Economic Development in Guatemala
Walk along any roughly paved, uneven street in Panajachel, Guatemala, dodging motorcycles, tuk tuks, and chicken buses as if you are playing a life-size game of Pacman, and you will see sights common in Pana, as it is called locally – women making tortillas, used clothing stores, pharmacies with an array of products for all that ails you, small restaurants called comedores, where an inexpensive breakfast, lunch, or dinner can be ordered. But what distinguishes Calle de Rastro near the large, white Catholic church from so many other streets in Pana is that at its end, you’ll see a one-story building with a simple word painted on it: Natün. Natün means to unite or come together, to stand for a common cause in the language of this part of Guatemala, Kakchiquel. The name was changed from Maya Families to Natün, a change which reflects the NGO’s growth and commitment to community voices, systemic change, and sustainable development.
Ring Natün’s bell and on a day when the staff are not in the field doing what they do best – acting as catalysts for already existing efforts or equipping change agents within the communities to implement new community-based programs – and you will see dedicated Kakchiquel and Spanish speaking Guatemalan staff and a smattering of expat staff who have been living and working in Guatemala long enough to understand its needs. Travel in the other direction away from Calle de Rastro and you will see Pana’s most famous sight – three inactive volcanoes, San Pedro, Atitlan, and Tolimán, surrounding Lake Atitlan, where for a few quetzales you can take a lancha across the lake to visit the kinds of sights that defines the word ‘sightseeing’ – shops laden with colorful crafts, restaurants, and street art that tells the history of Guatemala.
Working from the Ground Up
Natün, a Maya NGO founded in 2005, however, is well off the beaten path, far from the Guatemala that the tourists and backpackers see. Working from the ground up – assessing the needs with the communities it serves instead of for them, both men and women, is what Natün does. Natün uses the metaphor of six threads, reflecting the importance of traditional Maya weaving in Maya culture, to define its holistic mission to partner communities and listen to indigenous voices: human rights, leadership, cultural relevance, gender equality, environment, and partnerships, such as those with Ohio State University, Western Michigan University, and Kansas State University. A civil war lasting thirty-six years from 1960 to 1996 greatly affected the livelihood and health outcomes of the Maya people for whom the role of NGOs such as Natün became paramount.
The Word Spread
Natün’s programs focus on education, nutrition and health, and community economic development and stress the importance of community alliances, people working together to improve the quality of their lives. Capacity building is one of Natün’s goals and it stresses the importance of and need for communities not only to be involved in their programs, but also to decide which programs are needed and which are not. Community economic development, that is, a way to earn income, was an expressed need of the women in the village of Los Morales “because there was a community nearby where some of their women were part of a vocational trade school class, an embroidery class, and the women were all talking to each other,” explained Valeria Pinzón Mendez, Major Gifts Specialist for Natün. The women of Los Morales wanted a program similar to that of their neighbors.
A Women’s Savings Group Gets Underway
“They put a group together, about fifteen women, and they contacted Jessica, the coordinator for Natün’s Economic Development Program, Valeria explained. “At that time, we didn’t have enough money in our budget to start another class, so the department decided to start a savings group to coach the women, get involved with the community, see what the needs were, and get to know the women more. Then we already knew that for 2024, there would be an embroidery class as well. Now that they have that skill, they’re going to add it to their set of skills, such as making cortes, the traditional skirt that women wear, which they can sell.”
Education for Empowerment through Leadership Training
“Natün’s programs are community-led” said Pablo, Marketing and Cultivation Specialist He went on to explain, “we get to hear them and approach them, and understand the connection that leadership has to the people of the different towns. They attend the indigenous leadership committee meetings, initiated by Natün, and at those meetings, we hear things that come from the communities, and then we propose the things that we’re hearing.”
More Light in Their Homes, an Expressed Need
Pablo explained that Natün has a department where most of the capacity-building workshops have originated, such as the use of solar panels, issues around forestry, and programs in health and nutrition. Last year, 2024, saw a total revamping of one of Natün’s departments, and such efforts have paid off – because of the community’s expressed need for increased light in their homes, Natün used grant money to provide solar panels in Peña Blanca, giving the communities and their families what they asked for. True to Natün’s way of operating, training in the setting up and use of the solar panels was provided, and in the native language, Kakchiquel.
Volunteer Assistance from US Universities
Volunteers and engineers from Ohio State University, Western Michigan University, and Kansas State University are actively engaged in local training, ensuring their involvement is meaningful and aligned with community needs. Both Pablo and Valeria spoke about the ongoing projects that OSU is proposing, but any decision about which projects will be implemented is being made by local people. Those coming from the universities consult community leaders to know what is needed and do an in-depth analysis before implementing anything. “Even if you, as a volunteer, come and say, okay, I have this money, I want to do something. Even if it sounds like a good project, if they say no, it’s a no,” said Valeria. Pablo added, “I’m organizing a trip in March for Ohio State University, and the projects this year are going to be water collection systems and solar panels. We’re also going to start monitoring the forest to see how the forests are doing here. The projects will have an impact but not create dependency. We approach such projects in a sustainable and mindful way.” Such an approach to community projects emphasizes collaboration and respect for all organizations’ contributions.
The Value of Leadership Training
Valeria later explained, “One of the best things is that we’ve been implementing more and more indigenous leadership trainings. We’ve really been encouraging the communities to be part of those training courses, which are open to everyone. “If you don’t go, you don’t know what’s happening,” we tell them. The leadership team at Natün, the Community Alliance Department in collaboration with local community leaders, are the decision-makers.
Community Evaluation of Natün’s Work
Every year, the communities evaluate each sector of Natün’s work to determine what the communities need for next year, “what they appreciated and used from the program, and what didn’t work,’ Valeria explained. “Every five years, Natün does a community-wide assessment of all its programs, which will happen in 2025 when a new strategic plan is formulated, based on questions, such as: Is Natün going to offer embroidery, or should it offer carpentry? Does it still make sense that our programs are in health and nutrition, economic development, and education? Is it time for us to stop working in this community and move on to a different one?”
Now They Raise their Hands
Valeria shared a story about a woman who’s been going to all the leadership trainings in her village. This woman said that she usually only went to meetings that involved the school, where she said ‘yes’ even if she wanted to say ‘no.’ But one day, people in a meeting were talking about something taking place in the village and she thought, “I know about this,” and she raised her hand, commenting and giving her opinion about what should happen in the village. Her voice was being heard.
Further Information
Natün honors traditional Maya knowledge and culture, which guides its efforts in all its programs. The wisdom, resilience, and cultural richness of Indigenous communities are at the core of Natün’s work. Natün welcomes your thoughts, questions, and suggestions and encourages meaningful connections. If you are interested in helping to expand its reach and transform lives in 2025 and into the future by making a donation, you can do so through this website:
https://fundraising.Natünguatemala.org/campaign/639526/donate
For more information, visit our website
Email: info@Natünguatemala.org
Address: Asociación Natün, Calle del Rastro, Panajachel, Guatemala
Phone: +502 7762-0754
US Address: 1968 S Coast Hwy #1904, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: +1 619 550-2608
