The marimba festival is a local initiative to help students value the traditions of Guatemala.

    A few years ago, the government declared the marimba to be a 'patriotic symbol' joining the flag, the quetzal (a rare bird that cannot live in captivity), the ceiba tree, and other national symbols.

    Youngsters here tend to like music made with electronic apparatus: electronic keyboards, amplifiers, lots of noise. It's hard for the schools to find anyone to teach marimba. In San Lucas, there are two schools where the students can learn to play the marimba - and they both use the same teacher.

    Students in the diocesan minor seminary ( >>>>)
learn the marimba - a parent comes some fifteen miles to teach them once a week, and they have played on local radio stations and in local events.

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