paulinette
Pascual Abaj
The Pascual Abaj is The hill that can be found just outside of Chichicastenango, on the same side as the cemetery. People gather there to take part in Mayan rituals of begging the dead to come back down to earth. The ceremonial figure gets there with offerings, and then they all begin to pray in what seems like a mixture of swindle and long speeches, in which you try to communicate with the beyond. It is a very impressive, the amount of people coming. Guatemala does not have the tradition and Mexico to instruct all a shaman, who leads all requests from one community to the gods. Here everyone comes with their children, the whole family asked the same thing, the dead or the gods.
The conquerors tried to impose their religion on the Mayans, but they only pretended to be Catholics while they retained their strong pre-Hispanic Mayan traditions. The most convenient way to get there is by taking a rickshaw. Remember that these ceremonies are very solemn and sacred to the Mayans, and that the altars represent very important things to them. In making offerings to the gods, there are flowers, but also food, alcohol and cigarettes, and they burn incense.
Read more
