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MAYA CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

Gregorio lives in the Sacalaca community with his big family: his wife, his three sons, their wives and a granddaughter.

His brother and his wife live in a house nearby.

Their income comes from the corn fields (las milpas) and from the beautiful handcrafts he learned to do by himself. His daughters-in-law make dream catchers (chuquayak) and in that way contribute to the family’s income.

Gregorio and his sons made a traditional Maya house by themselves, waiting for a full moon to cut the wood, and thus following the Maya traditions. He is a very religious man, who respects and practices all the Maya ceremonies and traditions, preserving his culture and heritage in that way.  He believes that this it is something that all the Maya people owe to their grandparents – to continue preserving the old ways, as well as continue working on the corn fields.

“It is not allowed for women to go to the corn fields, because it is believed they bring bad winds and bad luck. Before going to the milpa you have to ask permission from the gods and do everything the God Chaak requires to be done in the milpa. Rain is very important and if it does not fall, the group of twelve people must be brought together and they do the Cha’a Chaak, ceremony performed by Maya since time immemorial . They have to go find a priest to present to the Gods what they will do so that the rain falls for the harvest.”