These women are celebrating ‘Semana Santa,’ or Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala. Semana Santa is a Catholic celebration of the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The entire city participates in the event. These women are dressed in traditional Mayan clothing called ‘traje.’ They are wearing ceremonial huipils (blouses) and they have ‘tzutes’ folded up on their heads.
Feria Panajachel takes over the town every October to celebrat Saint Francis of Assisi.
Lidia Lopez is an expert in backstrap loom weaving. Here she is showing the different patterns used on huipils from the different villages around Guatemala.
Guatemalan Woman Showing Huipils
The women of Guatemala have worn the same traditional dress (called ‘traje’) for centuries. They have passed down the art of weaving these textiles through many generations.
Guatemalan families often incorporate corn into their meals in the form of tortillas.
Lidia Lopez and her family demonstrate cooking a traditional Guatemalan meal called Pepian (also spelled Pipian.)