Market Day
The markets of the Coast offer the best fruits and seafood of Guatemala. They likewise exhibit exotic fruits not found in other places. The Pacific Coast is also home to cacao. Suchi is a Nahuatl, or Mexican, word meaning ground cacao. Hence, the name of the department is Suchitepéquez. However, the region’s best chocolate comes not only from Samayac, Suchitepéquez but also from San Sebastián, Retalhuleu. Altough the Department of Escuintla leads pineapple production, the pineapples of San Sebastián are unrivaled for quality.
Mazatenango
Zunil and Almolonga are but a short drive from Mazate. Therefore, the Coastal markets receive high quality produce every day. The interchange is two-sided, however. Quetzaltenango also benefits from the fresh fruit and fish of the Coast..
Although there are a number of bustling Coastal markets, none is as vibrant as that of Mazate. Most women there wear colorful native dress. Their outfits include a cloth worn at the hip. Despite its real name “chongo”, the highlanders refer to this cloth as a ´pistol´. Likewise, they call the women who wear the chongo ´pistoleras´.
Samayac
Samayac´s market has more diversity in than does the market of Mazatenango, however.. Samayac touches the hotlands of Nahualá and Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Sololá. Therefore, many Maya come to buy and sell in Samayac dressed in the exotic clothing of Nahualá.
Half the people who attend the Sunday market in Samayac therefore enter from the Department of Solola. The blouses,of Nahualá are among the most beautiful of Guatemala.Thus, they brighten and enliven the market of Samayac. Men of Suchitepéquez wear American clothing. However, the men of Nahualá and Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan still wear native clothing, Their shirts and jackets are both colorful and elegant. In lieu of pants, however, they wear a wrap-around wool garment, resembling a skirt. They call this garment rodillera, or jerga.
Following, I present photos of southern coastal markets.
Market of Mazatenango but the fish and vendor come from Champerico
Mazate´s market. Fowl saleswomen.
Fisn market, Mazatenango.
Family selling live iguana in Mazatenango. Although illegal, the sale of iguana both live and cooked is a daily event.
Carrots so large would crack you´d think; however, not when chocked full of chemical fertilizers, like these in Samayac.
Formal greeting, although a bit fishy. Champerico, Reu.
Born in the ocean near Champerico, but lost his head in Mazatenango.
The Thinker, Samayac. However, she may just be resting.
Sale of tomatoes, Mazatenango.
Samayac´s market but girl is from Chui Samayac in the Department of Sololá.
Woman from Chui Samayac,in Mazatenango.
Mazatenango
Looks silly. However, she’s keeping out of the heat of Mazatenango.
The Icemen Cometh in Mazatenango.
Although he sports a Budweiser T-shirt, this man is from Tzampoj, Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán.
Woman from San Gabriel selling in iMazatenango.
He stole her photo. Therefore, she got angry. Mazatenango.
This is the way to arrange tomatoes, but only in Mazatenango.
Baby with watermelon, Samayac.
The large rolls of leaves she sells are maxan and are used for wrapping food, Mazatenango.
Although this vendor from San Gabriel never asks for anything, she´s proud of her little gift.
This ad in Cuyotenango looking for a girl who can add should also have asked for someone who can spell.
This woman is from Cuyotenango but sells here in Mazate. The chincuya she holds resembles its apparent cousin, durian fruit of South and Southeast Asia, but it smells way better.
During its season, vendors from the coast sell rambutan (a relative of lychee) by the truckload throughout the country. These girls in Mazate, however, come from nearby La Ceiba, Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Sololá.
I also shoot photos of this vendor in the processions in her hometown of San Lorenzo.
Although the fish mostly come from Champerico, the fish market of Mazate is the place to buy.
