K'iche'

K'iche' family at their home in San Andrés Xecul, Totonicapan

The K'iche' (or Quiché) are one of the largest ethnic groups in Guatemala. They are ethnically Maya and live primarily in the highlands to the north and the west of Lake Atitlán, primarily in the departments of Quetzaltenango, Totonicapan, and El Quiché.

K'iche' also denotes the traditional language of the K'iche' people. This language is still spoken in most K'iche' communities, but many community members also speak Spanish and some do not speak K'iche' at all.

History

Precolonial

The Popol Vuh, sometimes called the "Maya Bible," gives us an insight into the creation of the first K'iche' and relates the foundation of the K'iche' kingdom. The version of the story that is available to us today was written down in the 17th century by several members of the lineages that had ruled the kingdom until their defeat at the hands of Pedro de Alvarado and his allies.

The Popol Vuh tells us that the first four heads of the K'iche' lineages were modeled from corn dough with the ability to see and understand everything instantly: "The moment they turned around and looked around in the sky, on the earth, everything was seen without any obstruction."

The K'iche' first made contact with the Spanish conquistadors in 1523, with the arrival of an expeditionary force led by Pedro de Alvarado.

Religion

Traditional Maya religious custom, or costumbre, is a syncretic conglomeration of pre-Columbian traditions and Catholicism. It combines devotion to the Catholic saints and celebrations of the Catholic festivals with traditional dances and elaborate ceremonies conducted at ceremonial sites that are scattered throughout the surrounding mountains.

Evangelical Protestantism has become increasingly strong since its arrival in the region in the 1970s.

Clothing

As in many Maya groups, clothing carries a lot of meaning for the K'iche'.

Women