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Visit Quiche

Quiche

The department of Quiché, due to its size, is the third department of the republic. Its land exhibits a wide range of landscapes and ancestry. The origin of the Quiché ethnic is referred to in the sacred book. The story in the Popol Vuh is that the quiches left a city called Tulan led by King Tamub and after many attempts occupied the land they named Quiché. Towards the end of the post-classic period, after they had expanded, they dominated one third of Guatemala. In 1523 the Quiché kings sent their army from their capital city Gumarcaaj or Utatlán to the zone of Quetzaltenango to stop the advance of Pedro de Alvarado.

It is a very mountainous region with deep ravines, high plateaus, valleys and peaks. It is one of the richest departments and where the greatest manifestations of flora and fauna and pre-Hispanic as well as colonial cultural vestiges are found.

The present-day Quichés are proud of their heritage and ancient traditions. Their inhabitants are dedicated in great part to agriculture with all kinds of crops, among others basic grains, wheat, potatoes and on a smaller scale coffee, rice and tobacco. Each community has its patron saint festivals, “cofradías” (brotherhoods) and religious customs, which they mix with pre-Hispanic rites and Spanish religious ceremonies. They maintain strong bonds with their traditions, customs and they have great respect for the elderly.

Places to visit in Quiché:

Follow highway CA-1 to Los Encuentros, found at km. 128, then turn right on national highway No. 15 and proceed to Chichicastenango and after 19 km. You will find Santa Cruz del Quiché.

Santa Cruz del Quiché:
Is the capital of the department of Quiché, at an altitude of 2021 meters. It is 19 kilometers north of Chichicastenango and 164 kilometers from the Capital City. It was founded in 1524. Its cathedral dates from the XVII century. Its main festival is celebrated from the 16th. to the 19th. Of August, in honor of Santa Elena, where the dance of the Snake can be appreciated and for which they use a serpent called the mazacuata. The convites, groups of masked dancer, who dance through the streets also, appear on these dates.

K'umarcaj or Utatlan
Archeological site located four kilometers from Santa Cruz del Quiché. It was the capital of the dominion of Quiché.
And its remains reflect some of its opulence. After the Spaniards defeated the Quichés near Quetzaltenango, they invited Pedro de Alvarado to visit their city and as Alvarado approached the plaza he had a foreboding and made the Quiché leaders leave. Presently the archaeological site has a visitor’s center, a museum and specialized personnel to offer the necessary information to tourists.

Laguna Lemoa
It is located on the highway between Chichicastenango and Santa Cruz del Quiché. It offers a pleasant landscape and some facilities for recreation and rest.

Chichicastenango
The name means, “Place of the nettles” and was founded by Quichés who fled from the destruction of Utatlán. They settled close to Chaviar, commercial emporium of the Cackchiquels. Today the quiché Indians continue calling the town “Siguan Tinamit” which means “Place surrounded by ravines” and they called themselves “Masheños” derived from Max which at the same time means Tomas. Chichi, as it is popularly called, is located 145 kilometers from Guatemala City.

From early age the women learn the art of weaving on a waist-heel loom. The “huipiles” carry symbols that represent the universe as well as lightning, corn, cardinal points, the sun and a beveled bird. The men weave their belts and wool jackets for their black suits. The jacket and pants are very similar to those used by Spanish soldiers during the colony.

The wooden masks that the dancers use and which symbolically bring them closer to their gods are manufactured in Chichicastenango. A mask factory and a warehouse that keeps the costumes for the dancers and rents them the outfits, is located in the last house on the trail to Pascual Abaj.

There are fourteen “cofradías” (brotherhoods) in Chichicastenango, each with six or eight brothers of guarding a saint, which is kept in the house of the first mayor. The saint is only taken out for processions and selected festivals.

The most important occupation among the Quichés is that of a Maya priest or Chuchkajau (motherfather). He possesses powers that allow him to mediate between believers and the goods. He performs special rites, and points out the proper days for planting and harvesting.

The festive days of the Christian calendar, are spending celebrated with fireworks, music takes place the 17th, to 21st, of December in honor Santo Tomas. Processions and traditions dances like La Conquista and El Torito take place. This is one of the three towns where the daring acrobatic act “El Palo Volador”, of pre-Hispanic origin takes place, in honor of the sun.

In the town of Chichicastenango there are several places well worth visiting.

The Open Air Market
Market day traditionally takes place on Thursdays and Sundays. The marketers come down from the mountains and from other village to the central plaza, between the church of Santo Tomás and the chapel of the Calvary, to sell their goods in an impressive native market that has hardly changed over the centuries. The florists congregate on the steps of the church and the streets are flanked by weavings, masks carved from wood and pieces of pottery among other handicrafts.
The central and north sections of the plaza are where seeds, tools and thread are sold, among other articles.

Santo Tomas Church
Was founded in 1541 over the base of a pre-Hispanic archeological site, the same as many other constructions. It represents a splendid example of colonial architecture. In its outsides as well as inside the Indian and ladino rites are mixed. On its 18-step stairway one can observe the maya chuchkajau priests, who pray and burn corncobs full of copal. Inside, entire families kneel and pray before the altars, full of candles, flower offerings, alcohol and in some cases food.

Calvary of the “SEÑOR SEPULTADO”
As already mentioned, it is at the other end of the plaza, in front of the church of Santo Tomás. Its architecture is not much different from the rest of colonial churches, which can be seen in the highlands. It steps, also, are a gathering point of priests, soothsayers and penitents.

Rossbach Museum
It is located on the south side of the plaza, and is named after father Idelfonso Rossbach, who was the town’s catholic priest for many years. In the museum, samples of ceramic-ware, remains of weapons such as lances, knives and hatchets, milling stones and a collection of jade pieces can be seen.

Cerro Pascual Abaj
Also known as “Turcaj” it is one of the mountains or hills at Chichicastenango, where religious expressions of profound tradition are held; ceremonies and rites dedicated to Pascual Abaj (represented by a stone deity) in which Spanish Catholicism and ancestral maya rites meld. The locals offer flowers, food, beverages, incense and sometimes chickens.

Zacualpa
An ancient township who’s church dates from the beginning of the colony. Maybe its outstanding feature is the native dress worn mainly by the women, a bright red and very showy huipil with purple colored brocade, and aniline tinted skirt with color strips.

Joyabaj
Is famous for its fortress, built by the Quichés to protect themselves from the attacks of those from Rabinal. In 1931 it was declared a national pre-Columbian monument. During the local fiesta, which takes place on August 15th, the Palo Volador (flying pole), ceremony can be appreciated. It consists of a high pole, which is climbed by four chose, and when they reach the top, they descend swinging around from a rope tied to their ankles, until they reach ground.

Sacapulas
It is located by the Río Negro in an arid area of the Cuchumatanes mountain range. It is outstanding because of its dwellers that extract black salt with very rudimentary methods. Lamac and Tubal native groups founded it.

San Pedro Jocopilas
Part of it is a hamlet called Comitancillo, of the village Santa María, which was declared a national archeological monument in 1931. Presently it is a town where potters predominate and is only 8 kms. on a dirt road from the department capital.

San Juan Cotzal
One of the municipalities of the Ixil triangle. Its inhabitants are dedicated to producing rope and rigging articles, from the fiber of maguey and are located in the Sierra de las Minas about thirty minutes from Chajul.

Nebaj
During the Hispanic period it was known as Neva. As attractions, the Cascada de Plata, the Boquerón lookouts and the Clavellinas, can be mentioned. It is famous because of the many jade stones and pottery found there. It is famous because of the many jade stones dwellers keep many of their customs and ways of life, still without contamination of western influence.

Chajul
A town famous for its dress; it is by the riverbank where the native dress is best appreciated, so distinctive of this region. The huipiles are turquoise, red, purple and some parts green, the skirt is completely red and the shawls are blue.
Presently its people are dedicated to agriculture, with crops of beans, coffee, squash, potatoes, oranges, plantains and chili peppers.

El Quiche Department Map & Places to Visit

View El Quiche Department - Chichicastenango in a larger map

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Picture Gallery

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Recommended Books

We recommend you the following books about Quiche: