Watch the YouTube video featuring the mural:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeaS2egNZB4

Oct. 20th, 2010: The Mural Inauguration!

 The community celebrated the completion of the mural with a public event. The kids put on a break dancing performance and a play about the history of the town.

The mural tells the story of the community...

The indigenous roots of Central America

During the 60's and 70's, the population became increasingly organized, which was violently repressed by the government, the Salvadoran elites, the military, and right-wing death squads. The creature on the right symbolizes evil in local mythology. 

The Civil War raged in Chalatenango in the 1980's; this scene is from the massacre in the Rio Sumpul, where over 600 civilians were massacred by government troops as they attempted to flee to Honduras. The officer at right is American, recalling that the US government and military fully supported the Salvadoran military with massive financial aid and training of soldiers and officers, despite being aware of the atrocities being committed.

Local communities relocated to refugee camps across the border in Honduras with concentration camp conditions. The quotes describe these experiences, and were written by Marcela Murcia, who lives in the house behind this mural, and who lived through this history. Her daughter Erika, the coordinator of the mural project, was born in this camp.

Tired of the horrors of refugee camp life, the population chose to return to Chalatenango despite the fact that the war was still raging. They rebuilt their bombed out houses and communities from scratch.

The parakeet, a local animal.

The mural features a mix of Central American folkloric art, tribal patterns from around the world and spray paint art.

Today, many families have been painfully separated as people leave for the US and other countries in search of work.

Marcela Murcia writes that while many were lost during the war and others emigrated, there are still many left, continuing the struggle.

The sign includes all the names of the children and adults in the community who participated in the creation of the mural.

Painting the mural: October 2010

Lead artist Joel Bergner and coordinator Erika Murcia worked closely with local residents to come up with a design that reflected some of the most important events and stages in the community's history. Once the design was ready, they recruited kids and adults from the neighborhood to paint, and got started on the wall!

Priming the wall white in preparation...

Joel sketches out the mural as the kids wait to paint with anticipation!

Finally the kids get to paint!

so adorable!!

All the kids in the community came out to help.

Manuelito!

Erika Murcia, the project coordinator, with 2 of the kids.

Marcela Murcia having fun painting-- she also wrote the quotes throughout the mural.

Lead artist Joel Bergner hard at work!