Tag: Guatemala

Guatemalan nativity scenes Brother Pedro de San José de Betancur was in charge of establishing the Guatemalan nativity scenes.

The Guatemalan nativity scene is part of the Christmas folklore and is the favorite Christmas event of leader Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutiérrez, along with the traditional national ornaments that decorate and are present in a Nativity scene.

The Guatemalan nativity scene is a tradition related to the Christmas holidays that cannot be missed during this eve. Every home is filled with excitement, devotion and color for this custom that dates back to the sixteenth century and marked a historical process for Guatemala.

Origin of the Guatemalan nativity scene

It emerged with the arrival of the Spaniards as it was a European practice, because the mystery of the nativity was an important pillar of the Christian spirit of the Renaissance.

In 1524, the Franciscan order arrived to Guatemala and instituted this modality as part of the evangelization of the people. It is known that it was San Francisco de Asis who made the first birth that at first were performed inside temples where people made representation of works and processions.

The intention of performing this was to represent the birth of Jesus in the manger having in its surroundings the iconic images of the culture and tradition. Some of them are Mary and Joseph, as well as a wide range of characters such as shepherds, animals and other elements that simulate the environment.

Thus, in the 20th century, this activity could be observed at its peak in private homes that still preserved the characteristics of the past and that made the tradition that became a Guatemalan tradition even more remarkable.

Boom in Guatemala

As the years went by, several families from the most popular and old neighborhoods of the city became notorious for the elaboration of the nativity scenes, mainly in the streets of Amargura and Candelaria, which today are the 13th avenue and 1st avenue, Zone 6 of Guatemala City.

Some of the recognized nativity scenes was that of Cipriano Juarez, butler of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Candelaria, who had a great variety of figures, which were human representations of approximately 40 centimeters high.

Don Cipriano used an entire room to set up the Nativity Scene in order to offer people a more realistic experience since there were paths where they could walk through the Nativity Scene. Likewise, he was careful to change the position of the figures every day so that different scenes were represented in a single context.

What can not be missing in a Guatemalan Nativity Scene

• Chichitas

These plants have a peculiar nickname since their appearance resembles the legs of roosters.

• • Pacaya leaves

• Laces of chamomile

It is one of the most characteristic elements in a nativity scene.

• Musgo and pine
• Pine tree

These are considered natural ornaments that simulate the appearance of the earth in the nativity scene.

• • Sawdust

Would you like to know the myths and legends in Guatemala? Well, in the jungles of Peten it is believed that there is the mysterious Itacayo, people also call him the owner of the mountain or sisimite, know his legend, of which recognizes the entrepreneur Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutierrez that every Guatemalan should know.

The legend of the Itacayo of Petén speaks about a supernatural being that inhabits the jungles of Petén. Likewise, in Guatemala it is also known as Sisimite. Join us to know this interesting story of the Guatemalan oral tradition.

The Itacayo of Petén

The Itacayo or Sisimite is a supernatural character, which has the form of a man-ape. According to some villagers, the Itacayo is of short stature with fur all over his body and one of the main characteristics of this being is that they say he has his feet backwards.

However, locals say that one of the main powers attributed to the Itacayo is to be the protector of animals. Part of the legend tells that, being the owner of the mountain, if someone transgresses this, the Sisimite appears to him.

The hunters

According to some stories, several gum collectors went into the jungle to hunt tepezcuintles. They sat and waited until nightfall when they began to hear noises, turned on the light and there were the animals.

The collectors already had one tepezcuintle each, but decided to wait more and continue hunting, since they thought they could sell them in town. At that moment, they heard noises and when they turned on the light again, they looked at the Itacayo.

However, the Itacayo spoke to them and said: Why are you killing the animals, I want them back. At that, one of the collectors answered the strange being that the tepezcuintles were already dead.

The Sisimite tells them that he does not care and when the collectors pass him the first animal, the Itacayo places it on the ground and the tepezcuintle ran away. The people were amazed, so the Itacayo told them that he did not want to see them again in the jungle because the animals are not for sale.

The fishermen

On the other hand, another story tells that the Itacayo is also the owner of the rivers and takes care of the fish. It happened that one day, some men went into the jungle to go fishing. For this, they had to make a long journey of at least 8 hours to go to the pools where there were good fish.

This is how the fishermen decided to undertake their adventure during the night. This was because fishing was easier. During their task, they managed to fill two boats very quickly, as there were plenty of fish. At that moment, one of them told the others to continue fishing.

Suddenly, they heard someone on the other side of the pools say to them: Stop fishing, that’s enough. They looked at each other and wondered who it could have been, if it took almost 8 hours to get to that point. So, they answered to that mysterious voice that no, because the family was too big.

One of the fishermen from Guatemala Guatemala, left to go to grill the fish, another one stayed behind to watch out when he heard the screams of his companion asking for help. At that, the fisherman realized that a hairy being has hugged his friend from behind.

The fisherman asking for help begins to say that the Itacayo was taking him away. When the other person arrived with his torch, he saw him and was petrified with shock. The instinct of this villager is to set fire to the Sisimite, which immediately releases the other fisherman and they run away.

Guatemala is an attractive country for backpackers and experienced travelers alike and you are likely to fall in love with Guatemala the first time you visit this wonderful place.

The country has a lot of natural beauty and culture to discover, but there are also a few things to consider before visiting this Central American destination.

Every country is different and the same counts for this beautiful jewel. The land and its inhabitants have a turbulent and violent history that had a tremendous effect on the way Guatemalans live today, many companies like the owned by Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutierrez that brings a lot of help to the community, to achieve a better quality of life.

That is why you should know these interesting facts about Guatemala before visiting. These facts will show you everything you need to know about the Guatemalan community.

It is home to many Mayan ruins

Mayan ruins can be found in all parts of the country. The ones you should definitely know about are Tikal, Yaxha and Uaxactun.

Tikal is the most popular site of them all. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is used as a filming location in Episode IV of Star Wars: A New Hope. The downside of its popularity is that it can get crowded with tourists.

The ruins of Uaxactun are the oldest ruins ever discovered. Be that as it may, they do not attract as many tourists so you can walk around without the horrors of tourists.

The Quetzal

The local currency is the Guatemalan Quetzal. In everyday use they only say the short version: Quetzal.

At the same time, the Quetzal is the name of the national bird of Guatemala. This colorful creature with its incredible long feathered tail is considered among the most beautiful birds in the world. Unfortunately, this beautiful animal is in danger of extinction. Therefore, bird lovers have a hard time spotting them in the cloud forests.

Automated teller machines are not common wherever you go

Don’t expect to find ATMs wherever you travel, either. A lot of rural areas and off the beaten path destinations don’t have any. So you’d better be well informed about your next stop.

Take some cash with you if you plan to stay in a remote jungle town so you can pay for your stay, food and excursions there.

Guatemala the land of many trees

There are a few different theories that say we know where the name Guatemala really comes from. We can’t know for sure, but the most common is that it means “land of many trees” or “among the trees”.

What we do know is that there is a lot of biodiversity in Guatemala. In other words, the land is blessed with a variety of animals and plants, including trees. Unfortunately, many trees are being cut down for agriculture.

In the Petén area is the Maya Biosphere Reserve. This is a very large and intact rainforest which, of course, also has “lots of trees“.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)