|
|
|
| About
Peten |
|
Possessor
of the Mayan Culture -Tikal-
The historical
value of Peten is translated in the occupation that the Mayan
culture made of him several centuries ago, a culture that
left a permanent print in the history and in the current life
of Guatemala.
Petén is
a Department wealthy in culture and nature. The tourist can
observe and admire sacred rituals, traditional ceremonies,
pre-Hispanic monuments, striking natural parks and outstanding
landscapes. All this compile a unique natural and cultural
patrimony in the whole world.
Located
to 500km north to Guatemala City, Peten has a territorial
extension that covers almost a third part of the country,
limits to the north and west to Mexico, east to Belize and
south to the departments of Alta Verapaz and Izabal.
Petén counts
with an International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Mundo
Maya) so transportation to Guatemala City, United States of
America, Belize, and Mexico are always available. Furthermore,
if you decide to go by land, plenty bus lines that cover routs
to Belize, Mexican border of Chiapas and Tabasco and all the
departments and municipalities of Guatemala, apart from that
many car rental agencies, taxies and tourism transportation
vehicles are available.
A natural
destination is expecting you; it will definitely make you
have an unforgettable experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Head
department - Flores
Altitud - 127 m over sea level
Territorial Extension - 35,854 Km2
Population - Aprox.500,000 Inhabitants.
Coordinates
The Deptartment of Peten is situated between 16° 2' and 17°
49' of the North latitude and between the paralles of 89°
09" 22' and 90° 15" 11' of the East longitud.
Municipalities
in Peten are:
Flores
San José
San Benito
San Andrés
La Libertad
San Francisco
Santa Ana
Dolores
San Luis
Sayaxché
Melchor de Mencos
Poptún
Traditions
in Peten
This
extraordinary department still maintains the traditional dances
of La Chatona, El Caballito, La Cabeza, La Danza del Venado (San
Luis), Typical music like El Agua Tibia, La Cerveza, Huachinango,
Cuando por la playa voy, el Torito.
Other Activities such as La Enhiladera de Flores, Firework Display,
Revista Petén Itza, The Sacred Skulls Ritual (San José),
El Palo Ensebado(San Luis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
La
Chatona
This character
appeared for the first time with the arrival of a woman coming
from Chiapas, hired as a cook in a “Campamento Chiclero
(chewing gum camp)”. According to the locals the women
was very tall and beautiful, her hair braided and adorned with
a Spanish ornamental golden comb. Her name was Petrona and she
was very popular for her ability to dance.
At the
end of a season, after many years working as a cook at the camp,
and making joyful presences at the municipality fairs, she never
came back to camp. The men sadly remembered her as Tía
Toña". An existing local legend speculates that
she had died from a poisonous snake bite (the yellow beard snake).
That is
how La Tía Toña entered the popular mythology
as La Chatona.
The presence
of La Chatota is a tradition celebrated by almost all the Peténeros,
which in all the patron saint's day festivities (ferias) a dance
is performed consisting of a man introducing himself under a
big doll and dances representing the dances that Tia Tona used
to perform during the fairs of her epoch.
La Santa Calavera (The Sacread Skulls Ritual)
Every year
the municipality of San José celebrates a peculiar tradition.
Every first of November three skulls are the utmost subject
of worship, a tradition that consists of people that make promises
and solicit a chance to visit the Scared Skull "Santa Calavera"
for a petition. Following the leadership of “El Prioste"
(honourable man in the community in charge of the church; for
they don’t have a permanent priest) visits are made from
6:00pm till dawn.
The Sacread
Skulls ritual, is a tradition of the Maya Itza Culture, one
of the 21 Mayan groups in Guatemala.
As mentioned
before, there are three skulls but the tradition talks about
eight. It is said that the skulls are the remains of the first
settlers of which their skulls were brought to the church many
years after their death. It was a tradition that had as subject
to give thanks to the deceased and his family. The Skulls remain
preserved in the urns of the church and are taken in procession
every year rotating form the All the Saints Day. On that night
all the penitents are visited.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upon
arriving, the skull is placed in an altar previously prepared
for the ceremony, which includes decorations and special food
of the occasion. This is only a hospitality gesture for the soul
and only offered to the loaders. Furthermore, on another table
a display of typical dishes awaits the devoted and preaching persons.
|
|
|
La
Cabeza de Coche - (The boar’s
head)
The
name of this tradition sounds a little or quite strange , however,
it is a very picturesque, interesting and constitutes one of
the most practised traditions of Petén. A tradition introduced
by the Peche in San Miguel's town, a local petenera family.
This
Tradition consists in placing baskets with money on the roof,
the person that takes it will have to bring twice as much next
year and it is believed that the person that fail to do so will
have bad luck the following year.
The
boar is killed on May 2nd and it is on vigil the whole night and
preparing it for dawn of the next day 3rd.
A novenario
( praying for nine consecutive days) in honour to the Santa Cruz
(May 3) for which they count with three 150 years old crosses,
which were brought from Campeche, Mexico by Mr. Andrés
Peche native of that place.
In
San Miguel it has been celebrated for 50 years, it has been practised
in several places, like the communities of El Remate, San José,
and now San Miguel. This is because the person that has carried
out the tradition moved to different places.
|
|
|
