Guatemala is one of the smallest countries in Latin America and, yet, it has offered the world a rich and varied culture a mixture of the influences of the ancient Mayan civilization and the European and Arabic influences imported by the Spanish who settled in the territory.
The festivities of current Guatemala are due to the struggle to evangelize the territory and the resistance of pre-Columbian cultures to losing their identity, creating a new one that has managed to incorporate the best of both worlds.
The 20 most famous festivities and cultural events in Guatemala
What there is no doubt is that the country, whose name in Nahuatl means “place of many trees”, is a beautiful land in which in this article we are going to try to present some of its most notable festivities.
1. The burning of the bull
This tradition is of post-Spanish conquest origin in Guatemalan lands The Spanish imported fireworks that the local people incorporated into their culture and festivities.
It is celebrated with a bull made by hand with brightly colored papers, wire and surrounded by fireworks. These fires are lit and the bull, normally located in front of churches, is burned.
Inside the burning object there is a person who is dancing and chasing passers-by.
2. Preparation of Fiambre
It is a Guatemalan dish that is one of the most important elements of the culture of the Latin American country
It is consumed during All Saints’ Day, November 1, and its preparation dates back to the times of the Spanish conquest. The complexity of this dish is such that it can perfectly contain more than fifty ingredients.
It includes practically everything, as a result of the mix between pre-Columbian, Spanish and Arabic influences on the Iberian peoples.
It is mainly made with vegetables and other vegetables, adding sausages, cheeses and even seafood. The richness of Guatemala can be seen in the preparation of this dish, since there are regional variants.
3. Holy Week
Normally it takes place between the months of March and April During this period, several processions take place in which they talk about the life of Christ and represent his death. Religious events are numerous in the country.
The usual thing is to spend Holy Week with the family and remembering the deceased. One of the most common customs during these dates is the making of sawdust rugs, which are of many colors and show religious patterns.
On November 1, the giant kite festival is celebrated in the city of Santiago Sacatepéquez During the festival, barrels up to 16 meters in diameter made of paper are brought out and used to scare away evil spirits from cemeteries and homes.
When evening comes, these kites are burned, so that their smoke serves as a guide for lost souls.
The importance of this tradition has become so great that there are even competitions to see who can make the most beautiful kite of the year.
5. The Carnival
Carnival is an essential party in most Latin American countries and clearly Guatemala was not going to be the exception.
As in Spain, the Guatemalan carnival is related to Lent, which originally prohibited the consumption of meat for about 40 days. According to religion, this tradition begins on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
In Guatemala, during the carnival the use of costumes is not mandatory, but rather in this festival what is important is to celebrate it in general terms.
It is characterized by having empty shells painted with watercolors that have some pebbles, flour or confetti inside that are thrown to be broken on the heads of others.
6. Dance of the Moors
This tradition is directly related to Spanish culture, since it represents how the different peoples of the Iberian Peninsula fought against the Muslims during the Reconquista.
Although Guatemala falls a little far both in time and space from this historical event The truth is that in their lands they have this festival, it’s just that it takes place at different times of the year depending on the region.
The dancers representing the Christians wear masks with beards and wear striking clothing, while those representing the Moors wear dark masks and turbans.
7. The inns
Before Christmas, on the 24th, the country is filled with processions accompanied by families who are singing Christmas carols.
The children dress as shepherds and carry candles and instruments such as tambourines and castanets.
The little shepherds are attended to when they ask for lodging during the course of the procession. When the journey is over, they are invited to typical foods from the area, such as tamales, punches, sweet breads and corn atol.
8. The flying stick dance
A tree trunk is placed on a rotating structure and four dancers hang from ropes They wear feathered costumes and masks and are preparing to twirl while dancing. This celebration is done to ask for the fertility of the soil and for good rains.
The dancers represent the Popol Vuh legend of the twins Hunbatz and Hunchouén, who were punished by being turned into monkeys for wishing the death of their little brothers.
It is also called the Tun dance It is a Mesoamerican drama, characterized by being one of the few pre-Hispanic artistic works that survived the conquest.
In this story several facts are told mixed with Mayan religiosity and the sociopolitical spheres of the pre-Columbian civilization.
The drama survived underground from 1625 to 1856, when the French priest Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg translated it.
10. Dolores’ strike
This is a satirical march, whose origins date back to 1898 with the intention of serving to pressure the government of that time.
The students of the University of San Carlos do this march every Friday of Sorrows, showing their discontent in a parodic way and representing government figures.
Throughout its history it has been repressed on several occasions, but this has not prevented it from continuing to be celebrated.
11. The ribbon race
Also known as the Game of Roosters men ride horses wearing traditional costumes with colorful scarves, red ribbons and feathers.
The turns to participate are controlled and you have to pay to ride, either for a certain period of time or doing a specific number of laps.
12. Christmas in Guatemala
In Guatemala, as in many places in Christendom, They place the traditional Christmas tree, decorated with balls, lights and the typical star at its highest part
Formerly, the country used the branches of the pine tree (Abies guatemalensis), but with the passage of time it has been decided to install artificial trees and thus prevent the amount of this species from decreasing in Guatemalan forests.
As in Spain, before midnight arrives between December 24 and 25, the Misa del Gallo is celebrated. When midnight strikes, there are fireworks, people pray to the Baby Jesus and spend time with their family.
13. The bride and groom proposals
It is tradition that the groom’s parents make an appointment with the bride’s parents to settle matters concerning the wedding and the future residence of those who will soon be married.
The role of mothers is that of counselors, who give useful recommendations based on their experience to ensure that the future marriage lives happily and in mutual respect.
14. Teacher’s Day
María Chinchilla Recinos was an important teacher in Guatemala That is why, after being murdered on June 25, 1944 in a peaceful demonstration against the dictatorial government of Jorge Ubico, it was decided to remember that day as Teacher’s Day in the country.
Every year, during that day, demonstrations are called to highlight the important function that teachers perform in society.
Unfortunately, today, in many corners of Latin America the teaching profession is undervalued, treating the people who help children become future citizens adapted as low-category workers.
15. Mayan Women’s Day
Called in K’iche’ Mayan Belejeb B’atz is another important tradition that Guatemalans still preserve from their pre-Columbian past.
This is Mayan Women’s Day, which is celebrated every 260 days based on the calendar used by this ancient civilization. It is celebrated on the day on which, according to the ancient Mayan religion, women were created. During this celebration, the important role played by the female sex in Mayan culture is remembered, being represented as a source of vital energy, beauty, knowledge and fidelity.
The women dress festively and Mayan ceremonies are performed in which they are honored.
16. The May Top
It is one of the best-known dances in the country, coming from the Jalapa region
Also called the Dance of Flowers, this celebration expresses love for spring, given that it is the season of the year in which good harvests abound.
Several dancers dance around a tree trunk on which some ribbons hang.
17. Birthday celebration in the country
Celebrating having lived another year is something that, as a general rule, is common in all cultures. Clearly, the celebration will depend on the age of the birthday child, but the usual thing is to set off firecrackers in the morning on the day of the anniversary.
They have a tamale with chocolate for breakfast and, if they are children, to make the day very happy they burst colorful piñatas with candies and toys inside.
Other sweets are eaten throughout the day as are the traditional brightly colored cakes.
18. Traditional dances
Celebration and joy are never complete without dancing And, as could not be missed, the country of Chapin is an expert on this topic.
Hundreds of dances can be found throughout the country. In addition to those we have already discussed in this article, we can mention many more.
To give just a few examples, we have the monkey dance, the sailor dance, the snake dance, the Yurumein dance, the Majani and many more.
It is only possible to capture the beauty of the dance diversity of Guatemalan culture by visiting its beautiful country.
19. Popular music
As with dances, Guatemala has hundreds of traditional songs, which have been infused with both Mayan and Spanish influences
There are also many instruments that have been made in the country, or that have been modified taking into account the characteristics of Guatemalan songs.
Of the most popular instruments used in the country’s musical scene we have the harp, the guitar, the violin, the single marimba or the double keyboard.
20. The Black Christ of Esquipulas
To finish this compilation of the traditions and customs of the country we have a religious festival, the Black Christ of Esquipulas.
Esquipulas is located in the department of Chiquimula and is located near the border between Guatemala, San Salvador and Honduras.
The tradition of the Black Christ dates back to the Spanish conquest, when Europeans evangelized the local people, and is related to deities of color such as Ek Chua.
It takes place during the month of January. People make pilgrimages to the place, make offerings and are grateful for the good that happened the previous year.
