Panabaj facts for kids

Panabaj is a small village located on the edge of Lake Atitlán in the western highlands of Guatemala. It is part of the municipality of Santiago Atitlán, right next to Santiago Atitlán city, in the Sololá area. Before a big disaster caused by Hurricane Stan in 2005, over 3,000 people lived there. Sadly, more than 400 people from Panabaj and a nearby village called Tzanchaj were killed or went missing during that event.

Most of the people living in Panabaj are Tz'utujil Maya. They are one of the 21 Maya groups in Guatemala. They are known for keeping their traditional clothing styles, especially the women's clothes. They also maintain their traditional cultural and religious practices. Many residents also practice Evangelical Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.

The Landslide Disaster

In the early morning hours of October 5, 2005, Panabaj was hit by a terrible landslide. This happened because of very heavy rains from Hurricane Stan. Mud flowed down the wet slopes of the volcano that stood over the village. It buried many people and buildings.

The mudflow was huge, covering streets and making it impossible for rescue workers to reach the area for two days. Rescue efforts stopped later that week. From Panabaj and Tzanchaj, rescuers found 160 bodies. Another 250 people from both towns were still missing. Overall, more than a thousand people died in the region.

Helping the victims was difficult because many other major natural disasters happened in 2005. For example, resources were sent to deal with a big earthquake in Pakistan just a few days after the mudslide.

Rebuilding the Village

After the disaster, the mayor of Santiago Atitlán suggested that Panabaj should be declared a cemetery. This meant people would not live there again. However, most of the villagers returned. They rebuilt many of their homes and stores. Some residents later moved to new settlements east of Santiago along the lake shore. These new places are called Chuk Muk I, II, and III.

Farmers replanted crops on the land closer to the lake. The mud from the landslide actually pushed the land farther into Lake Atitlán. Now, the town is growing again, much like it was before the disaster.

The volcanic soil in the area is very fertile, like in most parts of Guatemala. The massive mud deposit has since grown grass, weeds, and other plants. This means there is little visual sign of the mudslide today. You might only see some deep channels carved by rainwater when the mud was still soft. The trees that were there before the mudslide are still standing. However, the ground level around their bases is now higher.

Many people in Panabaj are skilled at weaving and art. They are now earning money from tourism, mainly from the U.S., Canada, and European countries. Some of their artwork is even featured in a UNESCO-supported book called Arte Naif: Contemporary Guatemalan Mayan Painting, 1998. Many others continue to farm using traditional methods. They also fish with homemade wooden boats.

See also

In Spanish: Panabaj para niños