Guatemala - Culture Smart!

Guatemala - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture | Lisa Vaughn

pick

Guatemala has been described as "The Land of Eternal Spring." This name comes from the tapestry-like countryside, the year-round, springlike, moderate climate, & the vibrant colors of Mayan weaving. ??Guatemala City has little for the tourist to see & is best used as a transportation hub to visit Antigua, Panajachel, Tikal, & Lake Atitlan instead.??Guatemala is the largest & most populous Central American country.?? Spanish adventurer ⬇️

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Pedro de Alvarado, who had taken part in the conquest of Mexico with Cortes, arrived in Guatemala in 1523 & quickly became known as one of the most evil, cruel, & rapacious conquistadores of his time. He was called in to quell a revolt in Mexico & met his death after being crushed by a horse that slipped and fell on him!🇬🇹Guatemala has the highest Gross Domestic Product of the region but the poorest record in Central America for illiteracy ⬇️
3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick & infant mortality.??It is now the world's largest cardamom producer & fourth largest of macadamia nuts.??There is an emphasis on the family unit, both nuclear and extended family.??Most Guatemalans operate within a "manana" time frame. Punctuality isn't a consideration, especially if something more important occurs. Quality of the time spend is more important than being punctual.?? Guatemala is home to the largest group of indigenous ⬇️
3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick peoples within Central America, the Maya.🇬🇹 Guatemala is largely a country of two distinct cultures: the dominant culture of Ladino (westernized) minority and the abiding culture of the Mayan majority.🇬🇹 Many of the Mayans think of themselves as indigenas first and Guatemalans second, and are committed to safeguarding their Mayan identity, traditions, & customs.🇬🇹
Mayans are credited with domesticating corn and discovering vanilla beans, ⬇️ 3y

See All 12 Comments

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick frijoles, chicle, tobacco, and chocolate.🇬🇹 The Maya believed in 160 deities, each of whom had variable manifestations.🇬🇹 During most rituals, Maya engaged in bloodletting of themselves & their captives to anoint religious articles and as offering to the Gods.🇬🇹 From 250-900 c.e. Maya culture was at it's finest. One of the most valuable commodities was chocolate: cocoa beans were used as currency and the nobility drank the cocoa.🇬🇹 ⬇️ 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Prejudice is largely seen from Ladinos toward Mayans and not toward black Guatemalans or foreigners.🇬🇹 They are an affectionate people, with hugs and kisses in lieu of a handshake, touching while talking, and using terms of endearment.🇬🇹 Gender inequality and machismo are prevalent., thus women are expected to care for their man and be both sexy & virginal at the same time. Despite this, the men revere their mothers very highly.🇬🇹 Many ⬇️ 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Maya communities have their own laws & a network of spiritual and political leaders who are effectively independent of the authorized government structures.🇬🇹 They have a high number of physical assaults, rapes, and murders of women and girls. 🇬🇹 Most of Guatemala's religion can be classified as syncretism, a mix of indigenous beliefs & customs & mainstream Catholicism.🇬🇹 The Sunday saunter through a city park or town center is a universal⬇️ 3y

Butterfinger Oh how I wish punctuality was not part of our culture. 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick pasttime. The verb for this particular activity is "dominguiar" - to Sunday, which means to meander around in a leisurely, aimless fashion on a Sunday.??
When using the bathroom you are expected to put used paper in the trashcan, usually next to the toilet. Only in the better hotels and restaurants is this not the case. Best to also carry a roll with you!?? One mode of transportation is a camioneta, or chicken bus. It is an old US school ⬇️ 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick bus, painted gaudily, packed full of people, w/ some in the aisles, hanging off the back or on the roof. Often livestock is aboard.🇬🇹 Each Mayan is thought to be born under the sign of a protective animal (nahual) to which certain personality traits & destinies are attributed.🇬🇹 Mayan food typically comes from what they grow or trade for - tortillas, black beans, and vegetables 🇬🇹 Mayan ceremonial sites still exist in Tikal & Uaxactin.🇬🇹
3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick #foodandlit @butterfinger @texreader @catsandbooks I still owe you Pakistan and I think Morocco, too. 😬 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @Butterfinger I know what you mean but at the same time, certain things should be more punctual. 🤣 My guy had a doctor's appointment at 9am at saint seen until after 10. How are you so far behind that early in the morning?! 3y

Catsandbooks Thanks for sharing all these each month! 💖 3y

54 likes12 comments

Welcome to Litsy!

Trending Hashtags

Trending Books