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One of the children in a Miskito village. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
I first became aware of the Miskitos Indigenous people in Honduras while
trying to work on a story about 38-year-old Begonia Mackpal Daniel, a self-made Miskito advocate who lives in Washington, D.C.
Begonia Mackpal Daniel (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
Through her, I learned about their culture, their isolation, their many needs, and the government neglect they endure.
I decided to see it firsthand and embarked on the treacherous trek to reach the villages where the Miskitos reside. I took photos of elderly people and children. The majority of Miskitos don’t speak Spanish. Their language is a mixture of English, Creole, and Spanish.
Begonia continues to help the newcomers navigate the system and to translate from Miskito to Spanish for immigration lawyers. She is also very active in helping the needy and disabled back in the villages of Sirsirtara, Wauplaya, Walpa Kiaikira, and Salto, in the department of Gracias a Dios, Honduras, where the photos were taken.
A young boy looks on from his doorstep while his young sister (left) goes to the creek to haul water. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
The children's laughter and giggles seem to have no effect on a blind, elderly woman. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
“Politicians only show up before the elections, never to be seen again, never to do anything for us,” one of the residents told me. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
A pictorial one-room house is blanketed by clouds. A small, donated solar panel can be seen, enough to illuminate the house at night. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
A young girl looks outside the window as she hears the commotion of other children coming to see the stranger with a camera who is visiting their community. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
Mother and child. Children are the very source of happiness and hope throughout the villages. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
Rapaila Pasta (now a widow) swings in her hamaca on the porch of her house. The only meal she had that day was a packet of “suero” (electrolytes) dissolved in river water. (Photo by Francisco Lozano/The Latino Newsletter)
About the Photojournalist
Francisco Lozano is a freelance photojournalist and writer based in Los Angeles. He was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the U.S. in 1984 during the war.
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Julio Ricardo Varela edited and published this edition of The Latino Newsletter.
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