Market Day in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Guatemala
Market Day in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Guatemala
Todos Santos Cuchumatán, a municipality in the department of Huehuetenango in the Western Highlands of northern Guatemala, is known by locals as “Todos Santos,” which means “All Saints.” Many of the people of Todos Santos are predominantly of indigenous Maya descent and speak the Mayan language Mam. The Mam people are one of the 21 officially recognized ethnic groups in Guatemala. Arguably one the most traditional towns in the country, Todos Santos is one of the few places in Guatemala where men continue to wear traditional clothing. Older indigenous men can be seen throughout Todos Santos wearing distinctive red pants with white stripes and a hand-embroidered shirt with an exaggerated and brightly decorated woven collar. The outfit is topped off with a straw hat that is usually decorated with blue ribbons. Women’s clothing is no less colorful or unique. They often wear royal blue blouses, called huipiles, with elaborate embroidery and dark blue skirts with lighter blue stripes. The skirts, or cortes, are made of a single piece of hand-loomed cloth up to ten feet long. The skirts, which are wrapped around their bodies, and tied with a decorative woven belt provides an extra layer of warmth in the surprisingly cold Western Highlands.
Saturday market days in Todos Santos are a vibrant place where you can see fresh fruits and vegetables, traditional handicrafts, and, of course, lots and lots of people. In early November, the town celebrates All Saints Day with a famous horse racing festival that continues for several days. Todos Santos has a long history of sending workers to the United States and as such, is deeply impacted by out-migration. In fact, as many as one-third of all men have emigrated. Ironically, the money sent back to Guatemala from the migrants in the United States are an important part of what helps keep many of the traditions in Todos Santos alive. Many of the “Mayans of Morganton,” mentioned by Dr. Leon Fink in his book about Guatemalan-born workers in Morganton, North Carolina (where I was also born) are originally from the Guatemalan Department of Huehuetenango.
The artwork for our puzzle, “Market Day in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Guatemala,” was created by teenage artist, Raquel Mendóza, who has family roots in Todos Santos. When asked to explain her inspiration for her artwork, she shared that she had precious memories of going to the market with her grandmother on market days and she always got to help carry the basket of groceries. She added that her artwork shows both a boy and a girl emphasizing that going shopping in the market is not just for girls! Raquel dreams of continuing her career as an artist and her parents, who gave us permission to share her work, are very supportive. See more of Raquel’s work on Instagram @rakconk – she’s up-and-coming!
References
Fink, Leon. (2003) The Maya of Morganton: Work and Community in the Nuevo New South. University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill.
