Guatemala & Quetzaltenango

Guatemala is a multiethnic, multicultural, and bilingual country. The Mayan, Ladino, Xinka, and Garífuna peoples form a nation characterized throughout history by cultural and linguistic diversity. The official recognition of this diversity began with the Political Constitution of the Republic of 1985 and has gained more importance with the signing of the Peace Accords of 1996.

The presence of the Mayan communities (there are 22 different ethnic groups of Mayan ancestry that constitute 60% of the total population) and the Xinka communities in the territory that today is Guatemala dates from the pre-Hispanic era. The Ladino population began during the sixteenth century, the first century of Spanish colonialism, as a product of the mixture between inhabitants who were member of the Mayan people and the Spanish colonizers. The phenotypically Black population arrived in the colonial period (1524-1821) and later, at the end of the eighteenth century, the Garífunas or Garinagus arrived. There also exist other micro ethnic groups resulting from recent migrations and of diverse origins.

THE MAYANS

The Mayan territory is located in the cultural area known as Mesoamerica. This territory includes the southeast of what today are Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize and the western parts of Honduras and El Salvador. Beginning in the pre-Classic era (2000 B.C. to 250 A.D.), the ancient (or classic) Mayans distinguished themselves as a sophisticated society. During the classic (around 250-900 A.D.) and post-classic (900-1500 A.D.) the Mayans had established themselves as a civilization on a State level. During this time, they achieved a high development in the cultural, scientific, and artistic fields.

Aside from the cultural changes characteristic of any people, we, the present day Mayans, have developed new strategies of cultural survival to face up to the different phases of colonialism during the past five centuries. After the Spanish invasion of the sixteenth century, we the Mayans have suffered economic, social, and political domination both on a national and international level.

QUETZALTENANGO

Territorial Extension: 1951 square kilometers.
Climate and Geography: both vary considerably given the fact that this territory extends from the cool highland to the hot South coast.
Altitude: 2334 meters (7657 feet) above sea level.
Average temperatures: in the highlands 13.3 degrees Celsius (56 degrees Fahrenheit). On the coast 24.2 degrees Celsius (76 degrees Fahrenheit).
Population: 678,251 inhabitants, made up basically of Ladinos, K'iche's and Mams (1999).
Distance from Guatemala City: 216 kilometers (134 miles) by in Interamerican highway (CA-1), 234 kilometers (145 miles) by the International Pacific Highway (CA-2).
The city of Quetzaltenango is considered the second metropolis of the country. It was founded by the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado on May 15, 1524. The primitive name of the valley of Quetzaltenango was Kulaja, which means "Throat of the Water," during the rein of the Mams. When the valley, then territory of the Mams, was conquered by the K'iche's, the K'iche's called it Xe Lajuj Noj, which means "Under the Ten Wisdoms" in K'iche'. It was named for the volcano Lajuj Noj, today called Cerro Quemado. Later, the Náhualt who accompanied the Spanish conquistadors gave it the name of Quetzaltenango, which means, "Land of the Quetzal".

Within the territory of Quetzaltenango several volcanoes are located, some of which are active, as well as volcanic domes and a great number of hot springs.