Ellen Kok

Photographer and Writer

netherlight.org

With God and Ayudante Across Guatemala

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Location: New Hampshire, USA

Nationality: Netherlands

Biography: Ellen Kok is a photographer and writer from the Netherlands, who combines photo essays with written stories. She builds long-lasting relationships with her subjects, often following them for years. Her photography is based on trust and intimacy.... MORE

Guatemalan Maya women board a b...inal, Guatemala. February 2007.

1 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Guatemalan Maya women board a bus after shopping in the city of Rabinal. One of them carries a bundle with metal pots and pans on her head. The bus is the most important means of public transportation in Guatemala. Often these are retired American school buses, called chicken buses, colorfully decorated and modified to be able to transport goods as well as people and chickens.
Rabinal, Guatemala. February 2007.

Two ayudantes lift luggage from...ango, Guatemala. February 2007.

2 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Two ayudantes lift luggage from the roof of a bus at the bus station of Xela, the local name of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city of Guatemala.
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. February 2007.

The bus station of Xela, the lo...ango, Guatemala. February 2007.

3 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

The bus station of Xela, the local name of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city of Guatemala. “Jehovah is my Shepherd”, it says on one of the buses.
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Passengers, fully loaded buses,...ango, Guatemala. February 2007.

4 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Passengers, fully loaded buses, and a street market at the bus station of Xela, the local name of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city of Guatemala.
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. February 2007.

A crucifix decorates the windsh...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

5 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A crucifix decorates the windshield of a bus in Guatemala. On the left the driver, on the right his assistant or ayudante, who sells the tickets and helps passengers to load their luggage.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

An ayudante leans from the open...blos, Guatemala. February 2007.

6 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

An ayudante leans from the open doorway of his bus to attract passengers by shouting out destinations.
Los Nueblos, Guatemala. February 2007.

A bus assistant collects fares ...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

7 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A bus assistant collects fares from passengers who have just boarded his bus.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

A Guatemalan woman sleeps durin...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

8 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A Guatemalan woman sleeps during her bus trip from the town of Rabinal to the capital, Guatemala City.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

A saleswoman carries her mercha...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

9 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A saleswoman carries her merchandise, tortillas, in a basket on her head while she walks in the aisle of a bus that travels from the town of Rabinal to the capital, Guatemala City. On the road the bus is the domain of the driver and his assistant. They allow people to sell food or newspapers on board.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

A man sells Nuestro Diario, &am...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

10 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A man sells Nuestro Diario, “Our Newspaper”, on the bus.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

The driver of a bus and his ayu...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

11 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

The driver of a bus and his ayudante (second and third from the left) enjoy their lunch during a stop in the province town of Salama, while a stray dog eyes them hopefully. One of their passengers reads a newspaper, another one writes on a notepad.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

An evangelist preaches the gosp...ute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

12 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

An evangelist preaches the gospel in a bus, bible in hand, while the bus driver takes a lunch break. One female passenger listens, the other one plays with her cellphone.
Salamá, Guatemala. February 2007.

Buses and trucks in a traffic j...gers. Guatemala. February 2007.

13 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Buses and trucks in a traffic jam caused by roadworks on the mountain road from the town of Rabinal to the capital, Guatemala City. The flatbed of one of the trucks is filled with passengers.
Guatemala. February 2007.

Two buses waiting to be repaire...inal, Guatemala. February 2007.

14 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Two buses waiting to be repaired at the bus station of the town of Rabinal.
Rabinal, Guatemala. February 2007.

Two men repair the motor of a C...ango, Guatemala. February 2007.

15 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

Two men repair the motor of a Chicken Bus.
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. February 2007.

A saleswoman carries a dish ful...ango, Guatemala. February 2007.

16 of 16 © 2024 Ellen Kok

A saleswoman carries a dish full of bananas on her head while walking in the street at the bus station of Xela, the local name of the Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala.
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. February 2007.

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Thumbnail of Guatemalan Maya women board a bu_binal, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of Two ayudantes lift luggage from _nango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of The bus station of Xela, the loc_nango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of Passengers, fully loaded buses, _nango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A crucifix decorates the windshi_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of An ayudante leans from the open _eblos, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A bus assistant collects fares f_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A Guatemalan woman sleeps during_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A saleswoman carries her merchan_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A man sells Nuestro Diario, &_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of The driver of a bus and his ayud_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of An evangelist preaches the gospe_cute;, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of Buses and trucks in a traffic ja_ngers. Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of Two buses waiting to be repaired_binal, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of Two men repair the motor of a Ch_nango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Thumbnail of A saleswoman carries a dish full_nango, Guatemala. February 2007.

Public Story

With God and Ayudante Across Guatemala

Copyright Ellen Kok 2024

Date of Work Feb 2007 - Feb 2007

Updated Feb 2007

Location Guatemala

Topics Belief, Christianity, Culture, Culture stories, Documentary, Editorial, Faith, Guatemala, International Stories, Latin America, Personal Projects, Photography, Transportation, Travel

The bus is the most important means of public transportation in Guatemala. Often these are retired American school buses, which are auctioned off after around 10 years or 150,000 miles.There’s an entire enterprise of people who travel to these auctions to acquire them for $2000 or less, then drive them back to Guatemala or other Central American countries, where their familiar yellow paint is replaced by colorful decorations and windshields and backsides are adorned with Christian slogans.

Locally, the buses are called camionetas, but tourists know them as Chicken Buses, modified to be able to transport people as well as goods – and chickens. The bus driver, the pilote, is mostly also the owner of the vehicle. He is assisted by an ayudante, who sells tickets and loads goods. The bus is also a kind of mobile store. In exchange for a free lunch, the driver allows all kinds of vendors to peddle their merchandise during the journey from one town to another. Even a preacher boards to preach the gospel.

With this photo story a longer written text is available.

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Jun 1, 2001 - Mar 20, 2011

American Moments

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The Laundromat

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Aug 30, 2008 - Ongoing

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Oct 2, 2010 - Jun 4, 2013

Drewsville & Beyond

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Oct 3, 2010 - Ongoing

On the Land

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Jun 30, 2005 - Apr 14, 2006

You'll Hear Us Roar

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Aug 30, 2013 - May 5, 2014

You Are a Girl and You Want to Milk Cows

Ellen Kok / The Netherlands

Jan 1, 1995 - Jan 1, 2005

School

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Jan 23, 2001 - Sep 4, 2002

A Very Personal Animal

Ellen Kok / The Netherlands

Apr 1, 2000 - Sep 16, 2000

Farewell, With Elegance

Ellen Kok / USA, Vermont, Springfield

Apr 30, 2017 - Jan 15, 2020

The Other Farm

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May 25, 2004 - Jul 11, 2015

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