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Social Costums

Social customs are ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are passed down through generations in a society or culture. Guatemala has a rich variety of social customs due to its indigenous Mayan history and diverse geography. Some key social customs in Guatemala include flying elaborate kites to guide spirits during the Day of the Dead; dangerous dances performed from swinging tree trunks, representing a Mayan legend; an annual celebration of Mayan womanhood and female creation based on the lunar calendar; burning an explosive-covered wooden bull that is danced with; and creating colorful sawdust carpets for Easter processions. These traditions help distinguish communities and also attract tourism, benefiting Guatemala's economy.

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Melanie Díaz Castañeda
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19 views10 pages

Social Costums

Social customs are ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are passed down through generations in a society or culture. Guatemala has a rich variety of social customs due to its indigenous Mayan history and diverse geography. Some key social customs in Guatemala include flying elaborate kites to guide spirits during the Day of the Dead; dangerous dances performed from swinging tree trunks, representing a Mayan legend; an annual celebration of Mayan womanhood and female creation based on the lunar calendar; burning an explosive-covered wooden bull that is danced with; and creating colorful sawdust carpets for Easter processions. These traditions help distinguish communities and also attract tourism, benefiting Guatemala's economy.

Uploaded by

Melanie Díaz Castañeda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Social Customs

In Guatemala...
¿What are social Customs?
Social customs are ways of doing, thinking or
feeling that are habitually repeated by people in a
society, culture or tradition. They are acquired by
practice or tradition and passed down from
generation to generation. They are a cultural
component that distinguishes the different
communities
Social customs in
Guatemala
Guatemala is one of the countries with the richest cultural
wealth, due to its large number of societies that originated
within the country. And these customs are passed from
generation to generation.

Great ecological and biological diversity, it also has a rich


and complex history due to the Mayan history and its
civilization
List of social customs in Guatemala

The kites of Sumpango Sacatepéquez/ Los barriletes de Sumpango Sacatepéquez


The dance of the flying stick/ La danza del palo volador
Belejeb B'atz: the day of the Mayan woman/ Belejeb B’atz: el día de la mujer maya
The burning of the bull/ La quema del torito
The Burning of the Devil/ La quema del diablo
The May Peak/ El Tope de Mayo
Preparation of cold cuts/ Elaboración de fiambre
The bankruptcy of Egg jacket/ La quiebra de cascarones
Easter/ Semana santa
The Rabinal Achí
The inns/ Las posadas
Thanks to the customs that exist in Guatemala the economy
of the people can improve, since many people from other
countries come to know about the culture and it is very
common to see foreigners that when one of these social
customs is performed, so this attracts tourism and can serve
as an improvement for the country
kites of Sumpango
Sacatepéquez
In Sumpango (or Santiago) Sacatepéquez, during the Day
of the Dead (November 1) there is a tradition of making
huge paper kites, handmade, which symbolize a bridge or
point of union of our world with the underworld. They also
represent a gateway to spirits, who can through them
return to their former homes and families.

At The next day, first these kites rise to finally light them,
representing the smoke a guide for the spirits to return to
the afterlife. These traditions are also said to take away evil
spirits. It is also a celebration that has been recognized as
Guatemala's cultural heritage.
The dance of the
flying stick
The dance of the flying stick, in Quiché, is a tradition in
which it is placed in huge tree trunk in a rotating structure,
from which various dancers hang throwing themselves
from above while dancing and spinning.

These dancers represent the legend of the Popol Vuh of


the twins Hunbatz and Hunchouén, who were
transformed into monkeys as punishment for having
wished the death of their younger brothers.
Belejeb B'atz: the
day of the Mayan
woman
Another tradition that can be seen in Guatemala comes
from the ancient Maya. The Belejeb B'atz is the day of the
Mayan woman, which is celebrated every 260 days (based
on the lunar calendar of this civilization).

This celebration celebrates the day in which, according to


Mayan mythology, women were created, as well as the
important role that this civilization gave to women. It
represents vital energy, wisdom, the beautiful and the
faithful, creation and mystery. Women dress up and Mayan
ceremonies are held in honor of indigenous mothers.
The burning of the
bull
Of origin after the Spanish conquest, in this tradition a
wooden bull covered with different types of fireworks is
made, to later be placed on top of a man who dances while
chasing passers-by once the pyrotechnic elements are lit.
It is usually held in front of churches.
Easter

is an internationally present tradition, being very important


in Guatemala. This week is lived as a family, with a high
presence of processions and religious events. Among the
most specific traditions we can find the elaboration of
carpets with sawdust of different colors, often with
intricate ornamental motifs, through which the
processions pass.

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