Guatemala: Facts & Stats

CULTURE

Traditions:

Guatemala's culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala's population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. But unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya that has retained a distinct identity.

Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala's history.

Celebrations:

Guatemala is a land of mainly small area festivals and larger national holidays, many of which are rooted in religious traditions.

One of the most widely celebrated national holidays in Guatemala is Independence Day, this falls on September 15. The whole country embraces this celebration with dances, the customary fireworks, and parades. The city of Quetzaltenango hosts one of the largest and most vibrant Independence Day celebrations. In the days before Independence Day, schools and buses are decorated with patriotic symbols and signs in celebration. In the student assemblies students sing the national anthem and on Independence Day in Antigua school bands, consisting of drums and xylophones, march around the Central Park celebrating.

Leading up to Christmas, you can find the town fair in Chichicastenango to be a fun attraction for both children and adults. Traditional music and dances help to celebrate the coming holiday season.

The king of all Holidays in Guatemala is Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Semana Santa is celebrated throughout Latin America. It is a group of people that plays the crucification of Jesus and the following resurrection of Jesus. Since Semana Santa is a very tourist friendly holiday you will find the most famous celebration in Antiqua. As part of the celebration the people of Antiqua cover the streets with rugs that are quite colorful.

Alcohol:

Guatemala's national beer is Gallo -- gallo means rooster, and you'll see the beer's rooster head logo advertised all over Guatemala. Other Guatemala beers include Dorada, Sol and Victoria. Guaro liquor is also popular.

The legal drinking age in Guatemala is 18.

Sports and Hobbies:

Guatemalans have a furious appetite for spectator sports. Football is the most popular. Otherwise North American sport predominates - baseball, American foot-ball, boxing and basketball are all popular.

Fishing is also popular, with good ocean and freshwater fishing. On the Pacific side the coast offers exceptional sport fishing, with some of the best waters in the world for saltfish, as dorado, mahi mahi and some blue martin, jack crevalle, yellow and black tuna and bonito. The Caribbean side, including Lago de Izabal, also offers excellent opportunities for snook and tarpon.

Guatemala's dramatic highland landscape and tumbling rivers also provide some excellent opportunities for whitewater rafting. Rafting on the rio Cahabon, Usumacinta, Nahualate or Motagua give you the chance to see some very remote areas and also visit some of the country's most inaccessible Maya sites.

Scuba diving is another growing sport in this part of the world. There are some diving possibilities here, including Lago de Atitlan and Lago de Izabal, as well as some reasonable Pacific and Caribbean dive sites.

There is also some surfing in Guatemala, on the Pacific coast with a small, new surf camp set up near the village of Sipacate.

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