What’s in the past is in the past? Communication about Guatemala’s civil war with the next generation.

Abstract

Guatemala has suffered terribly under a civil war that lasted un to 1996. There is now a new generation growing up, and the experiences of their parents and grandparents will whether deliberately or not have an effect on the identities of these children. Children learn only shallow facts and figures about the conflict at school, and they don’t talk about it a lot with their parents. A good thing is that because of this they don’t grow up with stereotypes or feelings of hatred. The society seems to have reconciled, without there having been any activities specifically aimed at achieving this state of reconciliation. The children are not growing up with grievances, which could be a base for future conflict. However, there are many older people that are grieved, exactly because the new generation knows so little about their past.