Let’s journey to Guatemala to learn about one of its most famous national dishes, Pepián. Pepián is a hearty, flavorful stew that beautifully combines the country’s Mayan and Spanish influences into a tasty dish. It typically includes roasted spices, seeds, and vegetables, and often features chicken, pork, or beef.
Pepián dates back to the pre-Columbian era and is closely tied to the culinary heritage of the ancient Maya civilization. Over time, it has developed by combining native ingredients and cooking methods with those brought by Spanish colonizers.
Pepián is commonly regarded as a symbol of Guatemalan identity. It holds a key place in significant celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, and festivals, acting as a centerpiece for community gatherings. In Guatemalan culture, sharing Pepián demonstrates hospitality and warmth.
Guatemalan Pepián usually features chicken, beef, or pork, along with tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, dried chilies, cinnamon, and spices such as cloves, allspice, and coriander. Other ingredients might include cilantro, potatoes, carrots, green beans, and chayote.
There are many recipes for Pepián online. Here are two:
https://en.recetas-guatemala.com/recetas/main-dish/guatemalan-pepian
https://www.tastesfromtheroad.com/post/pepian-from-guatemala
Guatemala is in Central America and borders Mexico to the north and west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Honduras to the southeast, and El Salvador to the south. It features mountainous terrain, with the Sierra Madre mountain range running through it. The climate is tropical, but it can differ significantly between regions because of its varied elevations. Coastal areas are typically hot and humid, while the highlands are cooler with a more temperate climate.
Guatemala is recognized as the heartland of the ancient Maya civilization. Cities like Tikal and Quiriguá are UNESCO World Heritage Sites that highlight the impressive architectural, astronomical, and artistic accomplishments of the Maya.
Spanish is Guatemala’s official language, but the country also has over 20 indigenous languages, such as K’iche’, Q’eqchi’, and Mam. Around 40% of people speak an indigenous language, reflecting Guatemala’s diverse cultural heritage.
Pepián is featured in The Three Little Howlers, a charming retelling of the Three Little Pigs set in Central America’s rainforest, including Guatemala. It is available in both English and 20 bilingual editions. This multicultural book includes free lesson plans, extension activities, and audio. It is also part of the 4 Book Storybook Set with Teaching Resources and the World of Stories Collection, which also features The Three Little Sun Bears.
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October is Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month! As Language Lizard continues our 20th Anniversary Celebration, we are hosting our biggest monthly bilingual book giveaway to honor this special event. One lucky winner will receive our one-of-a-kind 20th Anniversary Book Set, which features 20 different Language Lizard titles in 20 assorted languages. Enter now!
Each book in this set provides free teaching resources, including detailed lesson plans to assist teachers in diverse classrooms. The following titles are part of this fantastic giveaway:
Our popular Living in Harmony series contains seven unique titles that explore ideas of diversity, kindness, friendship, and community. The multicultural illustrations, with diverse characters and settings from around the world, help children see themselves reflected in each book. The titles include: Be Kind, Feathers and Friends, Leo’s Dogs, The Best of All Worlds, Together Is Better, We Can All Be Friends, and Who Are We?
This collection comprises six non-fiction titles that enable readers to explore the world around them. The titles are: Amazing Sports from Around the World, Coral Reefs, Deserts, Musical Instruments from Around the World, Tropical Rainforests, and Vaccines Explained.
Our Idioms set contains four books that explain common English idioms in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. Each bilingual book contains sample idioms, their meanings with example sentences, and clever illustrations showing scenes and characters from around the world. The titles in this set are: Fresh as a Daisy, Icing on the Cake, The Lion’s Share, and With Flying Colors.
Our World of Stories collection includes two titles that are adventures set in diverse areas and cultures around the world: The Three Little Howlers and The Three Little Sun Bears.
Authored by our founder, Anneke Forzani, this delightful story is about the challenges and hopefulness faced by immigrant families.
Each October is Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month, where we recognize and celebrate the wonderful aspects of bilingualism and multiculturalism. For more ideas on how to celebrate the month, check out our new handout or visit our blog for more information. Also available is our “I’m Bilingual, What’s Your Superpower?” worksheet, which is available in English, Chinese, and Spanish.
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The thumb piano, originating in Africa, is known for its captivating sound, distinctive design, and portability. This instrument exists in many varieties and is known by different names. It belongs to the lamellophone family, which produces sound through vibrating tines attached to a soundboard. Deeply embedded in African culture, it holds significant cultural and spiritual importance. The recognition of mbira music by UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage highlights its cultural significance.
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Music Around the World – Spotlight on the Thumb PianoRead More »
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Language Lizard has expanded its popular Living in Harmony Series! The series, now featuring seven unique titles, examines concepts of diversity, kindness, friendship, and community. Multicultural illustrations with diverse characters and settings from around the world allow children to see themselves reflected in each book.
The Language Lizard Living in Harmony Series now consists of the following titles:
Be Kind showcases the many ways to help others through simple acts of kindness.
The Best of All Worlds features a girl of mixed heritage who learns to embrace her diverse cultural heritage.
Feathers and Friends tells the story of two immigrant children who bond over their shared love of birds and creative arts.
Leo’s Dogs is about a boy adjusting to his new home with the help of the dogs he cares for at an animal shelter.
Together Is Better celebrates the strength and vitality of communities bonding through shared activities.
We Can All Be Friends illustrates how much we have in common, despite our differences.
Who Are We? helps us understand and appreciate the diversity in our community.
Each title in the Living in Harmony Series includes free teaching resources, such as lesson plans, downloadable activities, audio, and more! The series is available in multiple languages.
Image from Rafa’s First Day
When you’re getting your classroom or library ready for the new school year, keep in mind that Language Lizard has all your back-to-school needs covered with our bilingual books, sets, and free teaching resources. We hope you’ll check out our newest offerings! …
Back to School: What’s New for the Multicultural Classroom?Read More »
Image from Who Are We?
Let’s learn about Marshallese! We’ve gathered some background information and interesting facts about the language. Check out our newest children’s books available in Marshallese.
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Marshallese Language: Interesting Facts & ResourcesRead More »
| Tagged: Tags: bilingual books, bilingual child, bilingual classroom, bilingual education, cultural diversity, english language learners, language learning, language spotlight, Marshallese, Marshallese books for kids, Marshallese Children's Books, Marshallese language, multicultural, multilingual, Teacher Resources | Comments
In a world filled with distractions, primarily digital, it’s easy to overlook the value of bilingual storybooks. Picking up a bilingual storybook offers a fun way to enhance literacy skills, ignite creativity, and much more.
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Six Benefits of Bilingual StorybooksRead More »
Our newest book, The Best of All Worlds, is a richly illustrated story about a girl of mixed heritage who learns to embrace her different cultures.
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New Bilingual Book Celebrates Mixed HeritageRead More »
It’s time to celebrate as Language Lizard turns 20!
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Language Lizard Celebrates 20 Years!Read More »
Image from We Can All Be Friends
Let’s learn about the Mongolian language! We’ve gathered background information and interesting facts about the language. In addition, check out our newest children’s books available in Mongolian.
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Mongolian Language: Interesting Facts & ResourcesRead More »
| Tagged: Tags: bilingual books, bilingual child, bilingual classroom, bilingual education, cultural diversity, english language learners, language learning, language spotlight, Mongolian, Mongolian books for kids, Mongolian Children's Books, Mongolian language, multicultural, multilingual, Teacher Resources | Comments