THERE ARE INDIGENOUS TO MAYAN ETHNIC GROUPS OF GUATEMALA. THE TRADITIONAL HOME OF AWAKEN TEKO WAS IN A VOLCANIC RANGE. THEY LIVE IN AT 1500 TO 3000 METERS WITH YEARLY RAINFALL OF 100 CM. IT IS A HUMID AREA CHRACTERIZED BY AREAS RANGING FROM HEAVY FORESTS TO RAIN FORESTS. THEY LIVE IN OVER 300 SQ. KM. ABOUT 87 % OF THE POPULATION ARE MAYAN WHO FLOURISHED IN THE LOWLANDS OF THE PETEN AND YUCATAN. A SPANISH LINGUIST WAS HERE IN THE 16TH CENTURY AS WELL AS WESTERN GUATEMALA. HIGHLANDS.
THE LANDINOS FORMED A LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHO HAD DICTATORIAL POWER OVER THE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE CENTURY. THE AWAKATECO BEGAN TO DISSOLVE IN 1944. BETWEEN 1954 AND 1964 THE CIVIL-RELIGIOUS SYSTEM COLLAPSED. TENSIONS MOUNTED IN AGUA-CANTAN AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUSPENDED ORDERS. IN 1954 TO 1964'S CIVIL-RELIGIOUS SYSTEM COLLAPSED. POWER WAS SHIFTED FROM ELDERS TO YOUNGER GROUPS. THEY ALLOWED THE AWAHATACO TO ASSET LEADERSHIP. BY 1971 THE GUATEMALA MILITARY SENT TROOPS TO AGUACANTAN BECAUSE OF AN INDIAN UPRISING. SOME INDIANS WENT TO PRISON FOR A WEEK. VARIOUS POLITICAL PROBLEMS PERSISTED.
AWAKATECO SETTLEMENTS HAVE FOCUSED ON CENTRAL PLAZAS, WHERE TRADE AND EXCHANGE TAKE PLACE. THEIR IS THE CENTER OF SOCIALIZING AND A MARKET FOR MERCHANTS. THEY BUILT HOUSES AROUND THE AGRICULTURAL PLOTS AND THE CENTRAL TOWN. THEIR FARMERS HAVE LESS THAN LESS TWO HECTARES OF LAND. THEIR TYPICAL HOUSE IS ONE ROOM DWELLING OF ADOBE WITH EXTENDED PORCHES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER. THEY HAVE NO FURNITURE EXCEPT A PLANK BED. THEY HAVE A BATH AND A SAUNA LOCATED NEAR THE HOUSE.
THEY MARRY ABOUT THE AGE OF 15 - 18. THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE SETS A PRICE. BOTH MUST HAVE THE SAME RELIGION. THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY IS A POLICY WHICH MEANS CACAO BEANS. THE INFLUENCE OF MISSIONARIES WORK IS IMPORTANT. ONCE MARRIED THE BRIDE LIVES AT THE BRIDE'S HOUSE. SHE IS VISITED NIGHTLY BY HER HUSBAND. IN 3 WEEKS THEY MOVE TO THE HUSBAND'S HOUSE. SONS LIVE NEAR PARENT'S LAND AND DAUGHTER'S LEAVE THEIR HOMES. DIVORCE IS NOT COMMON.
THE COMMON DOMESTIC UNIT IS FATHER. MOTHER AND 2- 3 CHILDREN. SAME FAMILIES HAVE WIDOWED WIDOWED PARENTS. OBEDIENCE OF CHILDREN IS INSTILLED AT A VERY EARLY AGE.
THEY PRACTICE A MIX OF CATHOLICISM, PROTESTANT, NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ANCESTOR WORSHIP. THEY HAVE MANY GOD'S REPRESENTING NATURAL FEATURES - MOUNTAINS, SPRINGS, PLANTS AND GODS ARE CONSIDERED. DECEASED PARENTS ARE AN ACTIVE PART IN THEIR LIVES.
THEY HAVE A STRANGE WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH DECEASED RELATIVES. SHAMANS LEAD MAGICAL AND PUBLIC RITUALS. THEY HELP THE SPIRITUAL CLEANSING OF THE BY SCATTERING BEANS ON THE GROUND. THEY PICK THEM UP THEM UP WHILE RECITING THE DAYS OF THE WEEK.
SOME OF THEIR FESTIVALS LAST 7 DAYS. SOME OF THEIR FESTIVALS LASTED LASTED FOR DAYS AND THEY HAD PARADES AND THEIR FESTIVALS, MUSIC AND DANCING AND MUCH DRINKING. SHAMANS PERFORMED CEREMONIES THERE WERE 3 DANCES WITH SOME MINOR RITUALS.
IN THIS TRADITIONAL RELIGION DEAD ANCESTORS PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE ROLE IN CURING THROUGH SHAMANIC INTERVENTION. SHAMANS ARE HIRED FOR SPIRITUAL CONSULTATION.
THESE INDIANS DO NOT LOAN OF THE AFTERLIFE AS A HEAVEN OR HELL. THEY BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE ACTIVE IN THEIR AFTERLIFE. THIS IS CALLED ANCESTOR WORSHIP. IT ALL CHANGED IN THE 1950'S. CATHOLIC MISSIONS CAME HERE. THEY DRASTICALLY CHANGED THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
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