The peaceful presence of the Maya, the indigenous people of Central America, has been felt in Guatemala since the early days of the last millennium. This presence has had a great impact on Guatemalan history and present day culture. The Maya civilization and culture has been under siege since the arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century. In the later decades of the twentieth century, the conflicts between the Ladino government and the Maya people, who comprise 6o% of the Guatemalan population, escalated to violent oppression by the military arms of the government. A campaign of terrorism and genocide, supported by the CIA, existed for forty years. More than 200,000 people of Maya heritage were killed or "disappeared". In these years the Maya population shifted from an agrarian society in the low and midlands, to a more isolated mountain population. In 1995, the Guatemalan government and the indigenous peoples of Guatemala signed a peace accord. The Maya felt a sense of victory, as the peace accord marked the first official recognition of the sanctity and solidarity of the Maya culture and people. Our mural was created as a depiction of Mayan civilization and a representation of peace for Guatemala's future.

Seen in the hand of a Maya woman from the past, the International Peace Symbol is a significant element in our mural and embodies what the mural stands for. Its representation is the focal point of the mural. The three smaller red circles signify past present and future while the larger white circle that surrounds them signifies eternity. The woman from the past is handing the symbol of peace to a Maya woman in the future. The comforting and nurturing characteristics of the women soften the mural and bring hope, life and creation to the art. They are both standing over a still existent one thousand﷓year﷓old Maya pyramid. This pyramid specifies cultural heritage and the Maya belief in higher deities. This continued faith inspired us to include several Maya gods in our depiction. In the lower corners of the mural are the blended images of the Life and Death Gods. They represent different aspects of the past and future. The Creator God and the Sun God are floating above the mountains. The Creator God is pointing toward the future as if to lead the Maya people to a better future. The Sun God is facing the way the sun shines, promoting continuation of an amazing people. As these two gods of hope float above the mountains their people fight below, searching for peace and guidance through the Maya guerilla movement. Refugees are coming down out of the mountains, marching away from the top of the pyramid, from sacrifice and death. They march towards life, looking for peace and harmony to become part of their lives once again.

This mural is a result of the hard work put in by Ms. Calogero's second period class of tenth graders. We would like to thank Mrs. Ellis for coming to Nathan Hale and demonstrating different painting techniques and concept ideas. We would also like to thank Ms. Calogero for her guidance and extra time spent helping us throughout the project.