Custom and Ceremony
I have arranged these photographs of religious life in order of their dates, to give you some idea of the seasonal round of fiestas. However, I have barely scratched the surface. Most days some town celebrates a fair dedicated to its patron saint. Likewise, many towns honor the saint a second occasion one week following his feast day. Many towns too celebrate more than one saint.
There are also religious brotherhoods in many towns dedicated to other saints. Almost every town celebrates the most popular saints, however. For example, virtually every town in Guatemala has a religious brotherhood dedicated to Santa Cruz. Therefore, most Catholic Guatemalans celebrate her feast day, May 3rd. Likewise, many celebrate St. Peter, St. John or the Virgin of the Ascension, the national patron saint. The highlight of any saints feast day, however, is the religious procession in his honor. The devoted carry the saint´s image aboard large litters through the principal streets of the city or town.
Mixed Religion
Maya religious beliefs also survive within the body of Catholic religious beliefs. Therefore, Maya ceremonies exist side-by-side with Catholicism. We call this syncretism the mixed religion. For example, within the mixed religion, St. Anne represents Ixmucane, the Maya goddess of corn. Similarly, the Maya god Maximón is St. Simon or St. Jude Apostle. However not all of Guatemala celebrates Maximón. For example, many q’eqchi’ speakers have never even heard of Him.
Ceremonial Dance
Guatemala also celebrates through dance. There are therefore any number of folkloric dances. First, the most frequently performed dance, the Dance of the Toritos depicts the bull fight. There is also the Dance of the Mexicans. We also have the Dance of the Conquest, Dance of the Monkey, Dance of the Palito Volador, Dance of the Giants, and Dance of the Negritos.
There are also two varieties of the Dance of the Deer. The more traditional receives its inspiration from the Popol Vuh, the book recounting the history and mythology of the k’iche’ people. This version of the Dance of the Deer includes many classes of animals and a pair of hunters, the old man and his wife. I am more familiar with the more violent Dance of the Deer, however, that they perform only in Patzún, Chimaltenango. In this dance, the only characters are the deer themselves and El Tigre (jaguar).
Indigenous alcalde of Sololá and wife in ceremonial garb for Day of the Kings, January 6th. Although this photo appears on another website without attribution, the photo is mine.
Fourth Friday of Lent in Patachaj, San Cristóbal Totónicapán.
The feast day of Patzún’s principal patron saint, San Bernardino is May 20th. However, Patzún has three patron saints. May 20th, they honor San Venancio, pictured in the background. On May 19th, they celebrate San Pascual, shown in the foreground..
In most towns the location of the cofradia changes every year or two. However, in Patzún, the saints remain permanently housed in the home of Felix Zanik, the alcalde (mayor) of the cofradia of San Bernardino. Here on May 19th they perform the Dance of the Toritos, but not to honor San Bernardino; instead to celebrate San Pascual.
Likewise, these moros are bull-fighters in the Dance of the Toritos.
The fair of Patzún is my favorite. Moreover, the people of Patzún are the earth’s friendliest. However, last year I missed the fair for the first time in fifteen years, on account of illness.
While the processions and folkloric dances of Patzún are beautiful, probbably the most festive part of the celebration is the communal preparation of the ceremonial food.
This Dance of the Deer is performed Corpus Cristi in Patzún, Chimaltenango, but it isn’t the traditional Dance of the Deer of other towns, principally Rabinal, Baja Verapaz.. n
The traditional Dance of the Deer includes many classes of animals and husband and wife hunters. Only the Tiger and several deer dance in Patzún’s Dance of the Deer, however, They call him Tigre, but he is actually a jaguar, and wears a genuine jaguar pelt. Likewise, the deer wear deer hides.
The Maya side of the Dance of the Conquest with the enemy in background. However, the feathered figure to right is Lacondón, who led Pedro de Alvarado’s troops from Mexico.
Although these women are from an aldea (small community) of San Pedro Chuarrancho, they are responsible for guarding Chuarranchós church. But aren’t they good sports?
But isn’t he an arrogant conquistador? Here is the pompous ass in Patzicia in the fair of St. James (Santiago), with Pedro in white pants lighting explosives in the background. ,
She walks in the procession for St. James in Patzicia, Chimaltenango. However, St. James is also the patron saint of Antigua Guatemala and various towns throughout the Republic bearing the name Santiago.
Here too is the Maya side of the conflict in the Dance of the Conquest, but this time in the Fair of Patzicia, July 25th.
Fair of Santiago, Patzicía
There are several folkloric dances in the Fair of Santo Domingo Xenacj, August 4th. There they dance the Conquest, the Toritos, but are most noted for the Dance of the Giants, pictured here.
Like much of Guatemala, Joyabaj, El Quiché celebrates its patron saint August 15th. However in other parts, the celebration is for the Virgin of the Assumption (la Asunción), while in Joyabaj the Virgin of Transit is patron. Although the Dance of the Flying Pole (Palito Volador) is extremely dangerous, children of five and six years old participate.
However, in addition to the Palito Volador, Joyabaj has many folkloric dances. Here, for example, is the Dance of the Mexicans.
Here too are moros (the name given the conquistadors) in the Dance of the Little Bulls (toritos).
Although before sunrise, the Dance of the Toritos is already in the street in Joyabaj.
The beautiful woman in foreground is from a small community within Joyaba., However, she wears a blouse from Santa Cruz del Quiché.
The Dance of the Toritos in Joyabaj.
Matador in the Dance of the Toritos in Joyabaj.
Here is one last look at Joyabaj’s Dance of the Toritos. However, I have not shown two other important folkloric dances seen in the fair of Joyabaj, August 15th, the Conquest , and the Dance of the Deer.
This man from Sololá also walks in procession on August 15th. However, he walks with the Virgin of the Assumption (la Asunción).
Maya ceremony for Waqxakib’ B’atz (number 8), the Maya New Year, Iximché, Tecpán, Chimaltenango Number 8 signifies new beginning, infinity, spirituality, art and fun.
Tecpán was the first capital of Guatemala. At the time of the Conquest, Iximché was the capital of the Kaqchiquel Empire. However, Chichicastenango (Chiavar), had been the Kaqchiquel political seat umtil the K ichés defeated them there in 1450.
The celebration is for St. Francis of Asisi in Panajachel, October 4th. But the dance group performing Los Toritos is from Chichicastenango.
Although Xela celebrates he Virgin of the Rosary with fanfare, celebrations in the rural areas, like this one in Santa Marís, El Tablon are much more modest. Yet they are more traditional and original.
Like Panajachel, Todos Santos Cuchumatán celebrates San Francisco as its patron saint. However, the big festival there is All Saints Day, November 1st. The central feature of this fair is a horse race, which, although dangerous, is even more so for the quantities of liquor consumed by the participants.
Horse Racer, Todos los Santos
I{ve been twice to the horse race in Todos Santos but probably will never go again. The race is entertaining but very dangerous, and I tire of seeing people hurt.
