The Scent Of Home: Guatemalans And Their Cologne

Guatemalan immigrants have been migrating to the U.S. since the 1930s and 1940s, with the largest influx occurring in the 1970s and 1980s due to the Guatemalan Civil War. There are various push factors that have driven Guatemalans to leave their country, including lack of economic opportunity, agricultural challenges, climate change, corruption, lack of educational opportunity, and violence. While the reasons for migration vary, the use of cologne among Guatemalan immigrants warrants further exploration to understand its significance and whether it holds any cultural or symbolic value within this community.

The Guatemalan Civil War

The origins of the war can be traced back to 1954, when a CIA-supported military operation overthrew the democratically elected president, Jacobo Arbenz. This coup d'état completely broke the Guatemalan political system, leading to the installation of military governments and a period of violence and economic instability.

The direct cause of the war was an attempt to overthrow the government of General Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes by a group of military officers. However, the deep-rooted causes of the war lay in the struggle between the capitalist elites of the country and the leftist groups of peasants and activists, who saw communist ideas as a way to improve their lives.

The civil war officially began on November 13, 1960, when a group of left-wing junior military officers led a failed revolt against the government of General Ydígoras Fuentes. The officers who survived created a rebel movement known as MR-13. In the following years, various revolutionary and guerrilla groups merged to become the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG). The Guatemalan government responded with military action, which included the genocide of 150,000 civilians during 1981 to 1983. This genocide was primarily directed at the Mayan communities, with 83% of the victims being Maya.

During the 1980s, the Guatemalan military assumed almost absolute government power for five years, infiltrating and eliminating enemies in every socio-political institution of the nation. In the final stage of the civil war, the military developed a parallel, semi-visible, and low-profile but highly effective control of Guatemala's national life. It is estimated that 140,000 to 200,000 people were killed or "disappeared" during the conflict, including 40,000 to 50,000 disappearances.

The war ended in 1996, when President Álvaro Arzú signed a peace accord with the guerrillas. However, the violence did not end for many Guatemalans, who continued to live alongside those who had inflicted violence throughout the country. The legacy of the war includes widespread poverty, social and political unrest, and gang violence. Guatemala continues to struggle with the aftermath of the war, including one of the highest murder rates in the world and a high rate of femicide.

Agricultural economy

Guatemala's economy is highly dependent on agriculture, with traditional crops such as coffee, sugar, and bananas forming a large part of the sector. In recent years, the country has also seen a shift towards non-traditional agricultural exports (NTAE), including fruits, vegetables, and organic crops. While agriculture accounts for 12% of Guatemala's biggest economic sectors, the agricultural sector is in decline.

The agricultural sector of Guatemala consists of two types of producers: small-scale peasant-owned farms in the highlands and medium- to large-scale operations in the lowlands. The smaller farms produce staples such as maize and beans, as well as fruits and vegetables for export. The larger farms produce export and plantation products like bananas, sugar cane, coffee, and rubber. While 88% of agricultural land is in large-scale farms, 92% of all farms in Guatemala are small. Large farms are more productive per hectare, but small farms employ more people overall.

Guatemala's agricultural economy has been impacted by various factors, including political instability, climate change, and international trade policies. The country's long history of civil war and genocide has disrupted agricultural production and displaced communities. Climate change has also affected the industry, with erratic weather patterns and extreme weather events damaging crops. Additionally, international trade policies, such as the World Bank's structural adjustment policies in the 1980s, have reduced barriers to imports and negatively impacted local farmers.

The instability of Guatemala's agricultural economy has contributed to high levels of poverty and income inequality in the country, with Guatemala remaining one of the poorest countries in Latin America. The country is also characterized by a highly unequal distribution of wealth, with rural and indigenous communities being the most vulnerable. The instability and inequality have, in turn, contributed to high rates of migration, with many Guatemalans seeking better economic opportunities in the United States.

Coffee farming

Coffee was brought to Guatemala in the 1700s by Jesuits, who used the plants to decorate their monasteries in the city of Antigua. However, it wasn't until the mid-1800s that coffee began to be cultivated, with the first export occurring in the 1850s. Guatemala's temperate climate and fertile soil, particularly in the highlands, proved ideal for coffee production.

Today, coffee is the main source of income for many Guatemalans, and the country is recognised for its high-quality coffee. In 2018, coffee production was named "An Intangible Heritage of the Guatemalan nation". Guatemala has eight distinct coffee-producing regions, and the crop is the country's second-most important agricultural export after sugar, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into the economy. The coffee sector employs more than 125,000 Guatemalan families, and the country exports an average of 3.4 million bags of coffee each year.

Most of Guatemala's coffee is cultivated on highland plantations ranging from 2.5 to 124 acres in size, with an elevation of 4,000 to 5,600 feet. The coffee harvest period runs from December to April. The rich volcanic soil and varied microclimates across the country give Guatemalan coffee its distinct full body and complex, nuanced flavour profiles, often with notes of toffee, chocolate, and a slightly nutty taste.

In recent years, however, the coffee industry in Guatemala has faced challenges. Low global coffee prices, increased production in countries like Honduras and Vietnam, and recurring coffee plagues have impacted the sector. Additionally, coffee rusts, exacerbated by warmer temperatures, have decimated production, particularly affecting the highest-quality varieties. Climate change has also increased the frequency of droughts, floods, and cold shocks, further impacting coffee production. As a result, many rural Guatemalans can no longer rely on coffee as a secure source of income, and some have chosen to migrate to the United States in search of better economic opportunities.

Gangs and violence

Gangs and gang violence are a significant issue in Guatemala and across Central America. The two most prominent youth street gangs in Guatemala are the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street gang, but there are many others. In 1997, 53 gangs were known to be active in the capital city, Guatemala City, alone. In 2011, the UNODC reported that Guatemala had 32,000 gang members—more than in any other Central American country.

The roots of gang violence in Guatemala can be traced back to the civil war, which lasted from 1960 to 1996 and resulted in over 200,000 deaths. The history of conflict in Guatemala has left communities accustomed to violence, and the extension of incompetent or corrupt state institutions has facilitated the impunity associated with such violence. The civil war also saw the deliberate targeting of schools and students, which has contributed to a lack of funding for public education. This, in turn, has made it difficult for young people to transition to peacetime jobs, leaving them more vulnerable to gang recruitment.

Other factors that have contributed to the prevalence of gangs in Guatemala include poverty, family breakdown, institutional weaknesses, and mass deportations from the US. Gangs provide a sense of belonging and identity for young people from broken families, as well as those who feel excluded from society. They also provide economic opportunities, albeit illegal ones, for those who lack other options due to poverty or lack of education.

Gang violence in Guatemala takes many forms, including murder, rape, drug trafficking, extortion, and human smuggling. Gang members have been known to impersonate police officers to commit theft, extortion, or sexual assaults. They also frequently engage in vigilante justice, with those accused of crimes such as extortion, witchcraft, or robbery being targeted.

The Guatemalan government has responded to the gang problem primarily through punitive measures such as mass incarceration and harsher prison conditions. However, these approaches have been ineffective and may even be counterproductive, as they have transformed gangs into more sophisticated and violent criminal organizations. There is also evidence of corruption within the police and judicial system, with gang members often evading punishment due to their connections with state officials.

To effectively address the gang problem in Guatemala, it is necessary to recognize the social and economic roots of gang culture and implement policies that address these underlying issues. This includes providing economic opportunities and social support for at-risk youth, as well as strengthening law enforcement and the judicial system to improve the investigation and prosecution of gang-related crimes.

Educational opportunities

Guatemalan immigrants face a lack of educational opportunities in their home country. While the U.S. offers free public schooling through high school, in Guatemala, only primary education is free. Guatemalan students must pay for uniforms and school supplies, which can be costly for families. For children who work to support their families, the hours spent in school represent an opportunity cost of lost income.

In the town of Comitancillo, Guatemala, the only professional program available is in education, and even then, jobs are not guaranteed. Despite this, many families take out loans for their children to complete the program. Enrollment in primary and secondary school has declined over the past decade, and 85% of the education budget is spent on salaries. Consequently, only about one in four students continues to middle school or beyond.

Compared to the U.S. Hispanic population and the U.S. population as a whole, Guatemalans have significantly lower levels of educational attainment. They are less likely than U.S.-born citizens to earn a bachelor's degree, with only 9% of Guatemalans aged 25 or older having received one in 2013.

The lack of educational opportunities in Guatemala, coupled with the promise of free quality education in the United States, is a significant factor driving Guatemalan migration to the U.S.

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