The Lenca
The Lenca Indians of Honduras coexisted with the Maya and before the
arrival of the Spaniards, they were the most extensive indigenous
people inhabiting Honduras. Now their numbers are estimated at 50 -
100,000. Because they are being influenced by the outside and more
modern cultures, they are struggling to maintain their identity.
The Lenca lost their language in the early 1900's, and in general they
speak Spanish as if it were their native tongue though using their own
special expressions and forms.
They have remained isolated to a great extent living in the mountainous
and more inaccessible areas. The Lenca in general are very timid and
reserved, with a personality very distinct from the population in
general.
Their communities are agricultural, using traditional, primitive,
cultivation methods. Family is important, and they live as extended
families with their houses built together. They depend upon one another
to survive, working the land together.
To profess faith in Jesus Christ apart from the Catholic Church with
all of it's requirements and traditions is to risk ostracism and
rejection. They profess to be Catholic, but for many it is a blend of
Spanish Catholicism with their traditional beliefs. There are
Christians among them and even Lenca pastors, but not in the areas with
the strongest Lenca culture.
The Lencas are one of the seven largest ethnic groups in Honduras. They
live in the central department of Las Paz, and the western departments
of
Lempira and Itibuca, as well as in some smaller communities in the
northern part of the country. Their homes are made from bahareque a
mixture of mud and bamboo. Their communities lack all of the basic
services such as running water. Roofs are made of clay tiles or nylon.
In
a twenty square meter room there is a bed and a kitchen. The bed is
made from pieces of plywood tied to posts and sunk into the dirt floor.
Eight people usually occupy one bed. At night the cold mountain air
seeps through the cracks in the walls and results in frequent
respiratory illnesses. Many Lencas work on coffee plantations and
harvest. Lenca men are encouraged to educate themselves so that they
may move up the social hierarchy.
