Travel Guide Chichicastenango

Santo Tomás Chichicastenango - commonly known as "Chichicastenango", simplified to "Chichi" - is a small town nestled between ravines and mountains covered with pine and oak forests, 40 kilometers north of Panajachel. Its name, which means "Pueblo entre Ortigas" - "Village between the nettles" - refers to the abundance of chichicaste in the territory, stinging plants formerly used by the Maya to inflict corporal punishment. Inhabited by the K'iche people and governed by both the indigenous alcaldía - town hall - and the municipality, Chichi has preserved its customs, a true living museum.On the one hand, it is the privileged theater of the syncretism between the Mayan cosmovision and the Catholic faith, in which Guatemala bathes. As such, ceremonies can often be observed in Pascual Abaj, as well as in the municipal cemetery, whose visit is a must. Above all, the city becomes a festival of colors every Thursday and Sunday, market days. Here you can meet farmers and merchants from all over the western Altiplano who sell their seeds, flowers, fruit - especially green apples - vegetables and farm animals, as well as a huge quantity of handicrafts ranging from textiles to ceramics, wooden articles, jewelry and goldsmith's trade. This market is considered one of the largest and most spectacular in Latin America, which makes it a favorite place for tourists.Some see a lack of authenticity, but the fact is that you are walking alongside a crowd of people from the surrounding communities, each dressed in traditional clothes. In the region, the woman wears a huipil with hand-embroidered flowers and the man wears short pants and a black wool jacket. Moreover, note that during our visit, visitors were rare: we met less than twenty of them.