Guatemala Wiwitz

Wiwitz is a word from the Popti’ Mayan language that loosely translates to “up the hill” or “on top of the hill”—a fitting name for a farm located in the rural community of Aldea Xayomlaj, within the mountainous region of Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Lucas Rodríguez Salucio lives there with his wife and nine children. He purchased the farm around 2010 and gradually began planting coffee after finding that growing corn provided little economic opportunity.

In 2012, a severe coffee leaf rust epidemic swept through the region, causing widespread crop losses and economic hardship. In response, Lucas initially planted Catimor for its resistance to leaf rust. While the variety proved resilient, it did not produce the cup quality he was looking for. Over time, he transitioned much of the farm to Caturra, prioritizing quality despite the additional challenges of growing a more susceptible variety.

After harvest, the coffee is pulped, with the organic matter used for fertilizer. The depulped coffee is then brought to Lucas’s home, where it ferments in containers for approximately 12 hours. After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed in a tank of clean water before being laid out on tarps to dry. It spends roughly nine hours in the sun each day for four days, completing a simple, hands-on process that reflects the care Lucas brings to his coffee from planting through drying.