Nose Flutes Go International!

These photos come from three separate pilgrimages to Guatemala, sponsored by Faith @ Work.

Peter Bankson says, "Bill [Johnson], Marjory [Bankson] and I have led these trips since 2003. Each year we work with the residents of one small village to build an elementary school for their children. In 2004 we were in le Cumbre, in 2005 it was Finca Pocopan, and last year we worked in el Sauce. Each village is well off the pavement, at an altitude of over 7,000 feet in lush, rugged country. All the villages have electricity but none of these have running water yet. These are Mayan people who were deeply traumatized by the civil war in Guatemala."

"Most of the work is done by men of the village who volunteer their time as part of the project. Our presence frees them to work in their fields. We dug trenches for the foundation, tied 'rebar' for the reinforced concrete columns and hauled sand and gravel for the cement. The children joined us after school, working and playing with us."

"The nose flutes have become part of our tradition on these pilgrimages. I play mine during breaks the first day. At the end of the day I give them to men from the village who have worked with us. As the week progresses I give them to the women who cook lunch for us, and to the children as well asthe other pilgrims. It's the same with nose flutes everywhere: There's a lot of laughter and some quick creativity as folks discover how to make music in a very unusual way."

All photos by Peter and Marjory Bankson except the photo at right, by Bill Johnson.