GUATEMALA IS A MULTI-ETHIC CULTURE

GUATEMALA CUISINE IS A MULTI-ETHNIC  NATURE WITH TASTE DEPENDING ON THE REGION.  THEY HAVE 22 DEPARTMENTS EACH OF WHICH HAVE  DIFFERENT FOODS.  THEY MAKE CANDY WITH FRUITS, SEEDS, AND NUTS WITH HONEY AND SWEETNERS.  THE CANDY IS POPULAR WHEN TOURISTS VISIT THE COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME  AND IS A GREAT CHOICE IN SEARCH OF NEW FLAVORS.

THEIR TRADITIONAL FOODS ARE BASED ON MAYA CUISINE AND FEATURE CORN, CHILIS AND BEANS.  THEY MAKE ENCHILADAS, OR QUESADILLAS.  THEY ALSO EAT FOODS THAT ARE A TRADITION FOR CERTAIN DAYS OF A WEEK..  ON SUNDAYS  AND THURSDAYS THEY EAT  TAMALES.  THEY MAKE 100'S OF TOMALES IN GUATEMALA.  IN THE CORN LEAF TOMALES THEY PUT MEAT, FRUITS, OR NUTS.  THE MASA IS A SWEET CORN AND IS CALLED MAIZE . THE CORN THAT AMERICANS ARE USED TO EATING IS ON THE COB AND IS SWEET, AND IT'S CALLED ELOTE.  TOMALES ARE MASHED IN BANANA LEAVES.

THE ANCIET MAYA LASTED FOR ABOUT 600 YEARS BEFORE COLLAPSING.  TODAY ALMOST HALF OF THE GUATEMALAN POPULATION IS STILL MAYAN.  THE GUATEMALAN POPULATION IS IS STILL MAYAN.

THESE NATIVES LIVE THROUGHOUT COUNTRY AND GROW MAIZE AS THEIR STAPLE.  THEY ALSO ATE AMARANTH.

THE GUATEMALA INSTRUMENT IS THE MARIMBA THAT IS PLAYED ALL OVER ON SIDEWALKS.  TOWNS ALSO HAVE WIND AND PERCUSSIONINSTRUMENTS.  THE AFRO - CARRIBEAN DESCENT FOLKS HAVE THEIR OWN MUSIC.  IT IS POPULAR WITH LOWER CLASSES.

GUATEMALA ALSO HAS ABOUT A 500 YEAR OLD TRADITION OF MUSIC  AND ART. THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR CHANTING TO CONTEMPORARY MUSIC. AS WELL/

THEY ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR THEIR BRIGHTLY COLORED TEXTILES THAT ARE WOVEN INTO CAPES, SHIRTS AND BLOUSES AND DRESSES.  EVERY VILLAGE HAS OWN DISTINCTIVE PATTERN, THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH A PERSON'S TOWN ON SITE.

THE GUATEMALAN RELIGION IS ROMAN CATHOLICS COMBINED WITH INDIGENOUS MAYA RELIGION TO FORM THEIR UNIQUE RELIGIOUS THAT IS STILL IN ALL URBAN REFIONS.  IN THE 60'S PENTECOSTALISM HAS GROWN TO BECOME THE NAIN RELIGION OF THE URBAN TOWNS.

IN THE 60'S THEY HAD A LONG CIVIL WAR WITH RICH AGAINST THE POOR.  THE GOVERNMENT HIT SQUADS WERE AIDED BY THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF MAYAN VILLAGERS WEARING FABRICS IDENTIFYING THEIR HOME VILLAGE VILLASGE ON SIGHT.  AFTER 36 YEARS OF WAR A PEACE AGREEMENT WAS BROKERED IN 1996.  THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN HEALING SINCE THAT TIME.

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