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Guatemala legends lives on in David Juarez
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Author David Juarez captures the pulse of Guatemalan legend.
Crónicas de Oxlaju Ch'ajom. Written by David Romeo Juarez Mollinedo. $13.50 (USD).
Van Dyke’s is the hangout of choice for many local writers and actors in Florida. Located in the hot spot of Jefferson and Lincoln, it is only natural to meet David Juarez here for our interview. David has written his first book, Cronicas de Oxlaju Ch’ajom, translated to English as Tales of Oxlaju Ch’ajom, a picturesque insight into this seldom seen region in Guatemala.
Matt Bracher, the manager, greets me warmly amid the backdrop of swarming diners, servers and busboys, who seem to be in step to a delicious smelling musical of their own choreography. Matt guides me to a corner table for more privacy.
David arrives just a few minutes later wearing his ever -present smile. A server approaches with David’s book in hand, asking if he can have it autographed. David signs it after asking the server’s name. The server leaves happily showing the signature to other employees.
Some curious tourists from Brazil shyly ask if they may look at the book. David hands them a copy. They start glancing at it enthusiastically. Both of them ask if they can buy it, but David tells them to keep it as a gift. Their glossy smiles show their gratitude. They introduce themselves as Tatiana Luna and Rebeca Gomes. They tell us they come to Van Dyke’s daily for the fried calamari.
David Juarez smiles his Colgate pearly whites. He orders a Corona before embarking on the story of his life. He used his given name of David Romeo Juarez Mollinedo for this first book about traditional folklore and more in reference to the region where he grew up. David grew up without toys due to the fact airplanes or trucks could not reach the region for deliveries. David saw his first airplane at the age of 8. It was a small passenger plane, but it made a big impression. He depended solely on his imagination for play. He began writing poetry, which earned him many awards.
His father’s friends encouraged the young boy to write by telling him, “You have the same ideas and convictions as your Dad.” David’s father was the mayor of Chahal, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, with high standing in the community, who had wanted to write this book for many years. He was always pressed for time, which pushed the book onto the back burner.
Seeing the relevance of maintaining records of their town, which in the pictures seems to be a replica of what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called “the forest primeval’ in his poem, Evangeline, David Juarez to write it as his father wanted to.
David met the attractive Erika Pellecer Navas in a soccer game. It was love at first sight. She had just graduated from secretarial school and he had finished his 3rd year of medical school, but writing was in his blood and he wrote for the local newspaper. David came to the United States in 1986. He and Erika, now his wife, moved to Boston, where his brother had been settled for years. They loved this new country but missed their family at home and returned to Guatemala’s peaceful countryside.
One day in the mail, a special looking letter arrived. Erika opened it to see their residency papers for America. It was a sign for them to return. With her honey colored locks and rosy cheeks, Erika looks like a typical southern belle. David is dark, tall, and handsome. They stayed in Boston, until deciding to move to Miami Beach. They applied to become citizens right away. Erika volunteers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, actively involved in their activities and their bazaar on Sundays.
The book is full of his poetry, urban legends, superstitions, beliefs, sports, Christmas traditions of the region and photos. There are some spooky urban legends which would scare anyone, but he narrates them as told for centuries by his ancestors. He writes in a confident style, knowing his subject thoroughly.
His poems are like lyrical stories of his beloved birthplace and its nurturing components. His poetry is fluid, with a touch of romance and gallantry, adding a story like element.
Guatemala seems a faraway place, but in David Juarez’s book, it sounds right around the corner.
David’s new book, Noche Clara (Clear Night) will be released in 2010. It will be published in English and Spanish.
David Juarez’s email address is: djuarezmo@gmail.com.
Read next week for my interview with best-selling author of the Volk series, Brent Ghelfi.
Coming soon: Interviews with best-selling authors Carol Higgins Clark, Caleb Fox, Mercedes Soler, Robert Gregory Browne, Melody Thomas, Elizabeth Sims and new writer, Allan E. Ansorge.
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