Chichicastenango

Its name means "Place of the chichicastes" or "thorns." Located in Quiche, and contains a huge cultural and traditional wealth.

To get to Chichicastenango from Guatemala City, take the Interamerican Highway, as traveling to La Antigua Guatemala. Continue straight ahead crossing to Antigua, it goes through Chimaltenango, Tecpán and at Los Encuentros can see a fork. The crossing to the left leads to Solola and Quetzaltenango. The right turn leads directly to Chichicastenango.

The road is in excellent condition and colorful forests can be seen on the descent to the site.

Traditions

Once in Central Park Chichicastenango, which is easy to reach instinctively, you can see the Church of St. Thomas.

Here it is common to find "Shaman" or "Doctors" (religious leaders) to practice traditional rituals.

In the past, during the Spanish conquest and Christianization, was to deprive them of their religious beliefs, which has resulted in a number of traditions that are a mixture of two religious streams.

Before this place was in a Mayan temple that was destroyed to build a Catholic church.

The initial steps were rejected by the locals and were replaced by steps, in which each step represents each of the 20 days of the Mayan calendar month.

Near its base is an area to start a fire every day also traditional.

At its top, at the entrance of the church, widely practiced rituals with incense and prayers.

All this is strangely a sample of the roots of the traditions, because despite having built the Catholic church, actually the premises continued to practice their cultural and religious traditions of the door outward.

The Spanish noticed this and insisted no more. As time progressed and the mixture is quite common now to find local people within the church also with Catholic traditions.

The cemetery and colorful traditions

As we climbed a hill to see a religious ritual, we could see the colorful local cemetery.

This colorigo have reason to be because according to tradition, white is used to bury their parents, which means purity. The mothers are buried beneath the turquoise means protection for women.

The children are buried under the blue and girls in pink.

Grandparents are buried under the yellow sun protection means for humanity.

Strong traditions

Religious rituals are different patterns, from ordering health, work, etc. up to marry and to instruct people in particular.

This place is the most important of the region and are doctors or shamans throughout Guatemala to practice rituals, people also have come from Mexico.

Nearby there are several altars, about 35, but this is the most important and recognized.

This altar is located at the top of the hill behind the museum Abaj Pascual. His name is Turqa, which means "Holy Place" or "Sacred Stone".

In this altar there is a Mayan god named Pascual Abaj. Previously it was in the temple where now stands the Church of St. Thomas. That is when I pull in 1.540 secretly to avoid being destroyed. Ten years later, in 1.550, which lead to the top of the hill and begin to perform religious ceremonies because, where the ancient temple and are not allowed.

It was previously called down, which is the god of men, women, fertility and rain.

Over time the Spanish noted that the premises are frequently gathered on the hill, so they decided to investigate. Upon arrival found that you've been taking religious ceremonies and having already destroyed before the temple, and decided not to destroy this place. The man who discovered it called Pascual, why now called Abaj Pascual.

In this altar are also a Catholic crosses have a reason to be very special. Were placed at 1.976 following the earthquake.

Until then, Catholics and Maya still had rivalries and conflicts, but the earthquake made them think they were making mistakes before God, so they decided to make a union, according to the story on the initiative of both. Then he placed the four crosses symbolizing the four cardinal points, protecting you from any earthquake in Guatemala.

It's pretty obvious how they have retained many traditions and religious beliefs. He has much respect for doctors and Mayan shamans, who are credited with power to do good and bad things supernatural.

This is why it is very respectful of the elderly as they say, if they were disrespectful, a look or gesture, they can in seconds, with their power as religious doctors, affect for better or for worse.

For many of the rituals, either to seek the love of a person, do good or do bad, you need a picture. This is the reason why it should be respected when taking photos in the spot because they have no guarantees if used for good or evil.

The objects can also be used for good or ill, so when things are on the altar, be it money, fruits or herbs, according to tradition, do not touch them because no one knows what they are there and how reason, whether for better or for worse.

According to tradition, the doctors or shamans can read people's fate, so to speak, his vocation.

Inside St. Thomas, is a place where they used to practice this ritual, in which children were presented to doctors and they determined whether they were born to the family life or religious doctors.

Now this practice is carried out at the altar of the hill and can be performed at any age.

Pascual Museum Abaj

At the base of the hill behind the cemetery is a museum with masks, pottery and ancient furnishings and traditional fabrics.

Some are sold as collectors items, some not to be too valuable for its history.

Here you can see the difference between those sold in the local market and those made with traditional techniques. This difference consists mainly in the quality of the wood and the colors made with natural dyes from leaves and cochineal, are intense and saturated, while those who use chemicals are dim.

Valuable tourist destination

Chichicastenango is undoubtedly a valuable destination through the colorful market days, their costumes and above all for its rich culture and history.

It has comfortable guesthouses and hotels, from modest to luxury.

Its location makes it an excellent tourist stop before visiting Xela in Quetzaltenango, Lake Atitlan in Solola and abundant amount of existing packages and tours to the region, so if you visit Guatemala, Chichicastenango, do not miss.