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Chichicastenango | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
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| Nickname: Chichi | |
  Chichicastenango Location in Guatemala Show map of Guatemala Chichicastenango Chichicastenango (Quiché Department) Show map of Quiché Department | |
| Coordinates:14°56′N91°07′W / 14.933°N 91.117°W /14.933; -91.117 | |
| Country |  Guatemala |
| Department |  El Quiché |
| Municipality | Chichicastenango |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 270 km2 (100 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,965 m (6,447 ft) |
| Population (Census 2018)[2] | |
• Municipality | 141,567 |
| • Urban | 71,394 |
| • Ethnicities | K'iche' people (98.5%)[1] Ladino (1.5%) |
| • Religions | Roman CatholicismEvangelicalismMaya |
| Climate | Cwb |
| Website | Chichicastenango online |
Chichicastenango, also known asSanto Tomás Chichicastenango, is atown, with a population of 71,394 (2018 census),[3] and themunicipal seat for the surroundingmunicipality of the same name in theEl Quichédepartment of Guatemala. It is located in a mountainous region about 140 km (87 mi) northwest ofGuatemala City, at an altitude of 1,965 m (6,447 ft).[4] TheSpanishconquistadors gave the town its name from theNahuatl name used by their allied soldiers fromTlaxcala: Tzitzicaztenanco, orCity of Nettles. Its original name wasChaviar.
Chichicastenango is aK'iche' Maya cultural centre. According to the 2012 census, 98.5% of the municipality's population is indigenous Mayan K'iche. Of the population, 21% speak only K'iche, 71% speak both K'iche and Spanish, and the remaining 8% speak only Spanish.[1]
Chichicastenango hosts market days on Thursdays and Sundays where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery, wooden boxes, condiments, medicinal plants, candles, pom andcopal (traditional incense),cal (lime stones for preparing tortillas), grindstones, pigs and chickens,machetes, and other tools.
Among the items sold are textiles, particularly women's blouses. Masks used by dancers in traditional dances, such as theDance of the Conquest, are also manufactured in Chichicastenango.
Next to the market is the 400-year-old church of Santo Tomás. It is built atop aPre-Columbian temple platform, and the steps originally leading to a temple of the pre-HispanicMaya civilization remain venerated. K'iche'Maya priests still use the church for their rituals, burningincense and candles. In special cases, they burn a chicken for the gods. Each of the 20 stairs that lead up to the church stands for one month of theMaya calendar year. Another key element of Chichicastenango is the Cofradia ofPascual Abaj, which is an ancient carved stone venerated nearby and the Maya priests perform several rituals there. Writing on the stone records the doings of a king namedTohil (Fate).[5]
TheChichicastenango Regional Museum lies in its grounds.
At least three songs have been written about the town.
In addition, the character Rosie fromBye Bye Birdie sings sarcastically of being the toast of Chichicastenango.
Chichicastenango is composed of the municipal seat and 81 rural communities.[6] Nearby village communities includePaquixic (1.0 nm),Chucam (1.0 nm),Chujupen (1.4 nm),Camanibal (2.2 nm),Chontala (2.2 nm) andChucojom (1.0 nm).
Places adjacent to Chichicastenango | ||||||||||||||||
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In 1935, the filmThe New Adventures of Tarzan, was filmed on location in Guatemala, taking advantage of the help from theUnited Fruit Company and presidentJorge Ubico. Chichicastenango was among the locations used during filming.[8]
This 8-minute color travelogue devoted to Chichicastenango is one ofJames A. Fitzpatrick's TravelTalks. It is occasionally shown onTurner Classic Movies as a filler between feature films.
Capital:Santa Cruz del Quiché | ||
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