La Morena is an aldea, or villiage, outside the city of Chiquimullia, Guatemala.  It is a small farm worker community that is actually considered part of Chiquimullia and is served by the Parish of Santa Cruz that is located in the city.  La Morena is where our Partnership will focus its efforts.

The Aldea

The aldea of La Morena grew out of laborer housing on a plantation originally owned by a German family.  During a period in which wages could not be paid, land was given to the laborers at least some of which is “deeded” through letters provided by the plantation owners.  Organized on a hill, there are three primary areas of the Aldea which can roughly be described as a higher area of residences,  a central “public” area, and a lower residential area.

The public spaces in the Aldea consist of a central public plaza space focused on a fountain (that no longer works).  This plaza is an arrival space for the town. The aldea’s  main “street” descends from the main road from Chiquimullia and  terminates here.  On the space are the Church, two school buildings, an abandoned formal plantation building, a bodega and some homes.  Immediately from the space is a street that leads to a basketball court that forms an active recreation space.  It was filled with children playing during our visti.  The street terminates at a medical clinic, that, at one point, had been an active community center.  Also fronting this road is one of the sheds used for migrant worker shelter. 

Moving up and to the West, is a cemetery.  This remains a public space and, while we were there, the graves were decorated for a Saint’s feast.  The space has a central path that forms a gateway to a large open space that appears to serve as a soccer field.  Near the end of this field, though at a higher elevation and somewhat secluded, are two migrant shelters in the form of long sheds. A ridge on the long edge of the field opposite the cemetery forms the edge of the higher residential area.

The higher residential area is formed around dirt “streets” that continue to climb toward the entrance and water source of the aldea.  Streets are narrow, rough and hilly.  They are more like wide paths and are only pedestrian.  Homes front the street with a post with an electrical meter (see utilities).  Oftentimes a small front yard of about 10’ wide was fronted with plantings or flowers.  Each lot was about 25’ square.  The lower residential area was seen on the June trip to La Morena.  Its entrance is near the clinic in a direction opposite to the graveyard.  It is similar in nature to the higher residential area.