In Guatemala: Aborigine vs. Alien
In 1524, the beautiful land of Guatemala was founded. It is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-lingual location; with stunning physical beauty and outstanding indigenous life. And after over four hundred years of existence, this countries culture has become a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial ancestry. Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has quite a large indigenous population. The Mayan people have inhabited Guatemala since before it’s time, and still retain a distinct identity. Deeply grounded in the rural highlands of Guatemala, most of the indigenous people still continue to speak the Mayan language, follow their traditional village and moral customs, and continue the rich culture that was once all there was to this mystical land.
The other half of Guatemala’s population is “mestizo”, meaning people of combined European and indigenous heritage. This group of people, known in Guatemala as “ladino”, is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. As you can guess, these two cultures have made Guatemala a very complex society that is deeply divided. Each of these groups has unique cultural, social, linguistic and economic attributes. And the division has produced much of the hostility and violence that have branded Guatemala’s history. Even in present time, discrimination continues to hold the inhabitants back, as they struggle for an acceptable quality of life, and to assert their rights and cultural views.
Huptlio, Guatemala is one of the oldest and last remaining cities in Guatemala where these two different cultures exist in close quarters. And after scoping out the city last June with a fellow aspiring anthropologist, it w ...