Meet Juana Gloria

Meet Juana Gloria

Chichicastenango is one of the most important villages in Guatemala. Home to the Quiche Maya civilization, one of the largest ethnic groups on country, this place epitomizes the Mayan culture, history, and traditions of Guatemala. 

Every Thursday and Sunday, the locals flock to what has been deemed the largest market in Central America. Here they sell their products - ranging from traditional crafts, table runners, bags and purses, paintings, and Mayan masks to fruits, vegetables, and other foods to the sale of animals such as chickens, goats, and pigs, among others.

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Meet Juana

Meet Juana

Santa Lucía Utatlán translates to “place where bamboo abounds" in the Nahuatl language. Paradoxically, however, these days, this plant is far from abundant in this municipality, located in the department of Sololá in the southwestern region of Guatemala.

53-year-old Juana Matilde lives in a rural community of this municipality. Her life has been difficult since her childhood. She grew up in a large family as the eldest of nine siblings. Although Juana loved going to school, her father could only afford supporting her formal education for 1.5 years. She regrets not having been able to continue studying.

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