Between The ethnic groups of Guatemala Four categories are formally recognized by the state: Mayas , The Garifuna, the Xincas and the Ladinos or mestizos.
In addition, there is also a percentage of white individuals, coming mostly from Europe, punctually, from Spain.
Guatemala Has a population of about 15 million inhabitants, where 42% is occupied by mestizos or ladinos. 18% are white and the remaining percentage of the country's population corresponds to the Amerindian and non-Amerindian Mayan ethnic groups, such as the Xincas and the Garifunas.
Although in Guatemala can be found numerous ethnic groups descendants of the Mayas, these have suffered enormous damages with the passage of the time. Many of them have been victims of discrimination and forced displacement due to urban and industrial growth in different sectors of the country.
Guatemala is generally a country with a high poverty rate, which quality of life Of the ethnic groups that inhabit their territory, making access to education, health systems and technology limited.
Among the most important Amerindian Maya ethnicities of Guatemala, there are currently the K'iche ', the Kaqchikel, the Mam, and the Q'eqchi'. Each of these ethnic groups communicates in their own Mayan language and has basic knowledge of the Spanish language.
However, the percentage occupied by these ethnic groups corresponds to the minority of inhabitants of the country, being mestizos or Ladinos the most numerous ethnic group.
It is known as mestizo or ladino to the individuals born of the cross between Amerindians and Europeans, mainly Spaniards.
This process of mestizaje continues to occur today and it is estimated that the majority of the Guatemalan population is mestizo. This population mainly inhabits the cities or urban centers more developed of the country.
It is estimated that individuals belonging to the ethnic groups derived from the Maya comprise only 35% or 40% of the total population of Guatemala. There are ethnic groups whose percentage of inhabitants does not manage to reach 1% of the total population of the country.
Here is a list of the main ethnic groups in Guatemala and their main characteristics:
Mayas
Today, the government of Guatemala recognizes four ethnicities that span multiple subgroups and cultures. The first group is the Maya. Mayan is denominated to all the ethnic groups that share roots and ethnic-linguistic inheritance with this culture.
Historically, each Mayan city had its own language or dialect and a Particular cultural identity . Although all groups shared common characteristics, each group formed independently. This means that communication between different ethnic groups is not possible, since their dialects are essentially dissimilar.
Currently, there are approximately 21 different Mayan languages commonly used throughout the country.
It can be said that each ethnic group has its own Mayan dialect. The K'iche 'ethnic group is the largest group in the country, occupying 9% of the population of Guatemala.
Guatemala has one of the largest Amerindian populations in the Western Hemisphere, in proportion to the total number of its population.
1- K'iche '
The K'iche 'are an indigenous ethnic group that belongs to a branch of Mayan culture. Most of the K'iche 'population uses their native language to communicate and has basic knowledge of the Spanish language.
The majority of members of the K'iche 'ethnic group lives in the Guatemalan highlands, with a total population comprising 9% of the total population of the country.
2 - Kaqchikel
The Kaqchikel are an indigenous ethnic group derived from Mayan culture. Approximately 400,000 individuals of this ethnic group communicate in the Kaqchikel language, one of the original languages of the Maya.
The kaqchikel ethnic group practice the agricultural work, influenced by Spanish and Mayan techniques. The total population of individuals belonging to the Kaqchikel ethnic group comprises 8% of the general population of Guatemala.
3 - Mam
The Mam are an Aboriginal ethnic group living in the highlands located to the west of the country. This population communicates using the mam language.
Some individuals of the mam ethnicity can also be found in the mountainous region of northern Guatemala in small settlements where they have recovered their customs and traditions.
Some members of this ethnic group are bilingual, and speak both Spanish and mother language. This ethnic group occupies approximately 8% of the general population of Guatemala.
4 - Q'eqchi '
The q'eqchi 'are an ethnic group originally from Guatemala. This is derived from a branch of Mayan culture and is communicated using its native q'eqchi 'language.
This community is scattered around the territory of Guatemala due to forced displacement, land grabbing and the persecution they have suffered over the years. Currently, this ethnic group occupies 6% of the population of Guatemala.
5 - Poqomam
The poqmam are members of the poqom group, which includes the Poqomchi 'Amerindians in northern Guatemala. The language poqmam is derived from the poqom language, which is part of the Quichean Maya group.
The poqomam live in the Guatemalan departments of Jalapa, Guatemala, Escuintla and Chiquimula. A small number of this ethnic group has moved to El Salvador. By the year 1980, it was estimated that the number of poqmam that inhabited the Guatemalan territory was between 45 and 50 thousand individuals.
6 - Tz'utujil
The Tz'utujil are an ethnic group characterized by speaking one of the nine most important languages derived from the Mayas in Guatemala.
Approximately 70% of the members of this ethnic group are animists, this means that they worship the spirits of nature and the ancestors. The remaining 30% of the population is Christian, but is governed by the traditions of their ethnicity.
The rituals, line of thought and traditions that take place within this ethnic group are of Mayan tradition. Recently these practices have been studied by foreigners in order to unveil the secrets of the Mayan culture and its practices.
7 - Popti'
The popti 'are an ethnic group of Maya origin that has emigrated from the mountains of Guatemala and maintains its pre-Columbian traditions, language and culture. Its dialect is known by the name of popti '.
This ethnic group has religious practices derived from the Mayan culture and it gives worship to the ancestors and spirits of the nature indicated by the Mayas as sacred. The Mayan religion in popti 'is expressed through rituals and traditions.
8 - Akateko
The akateko ethnic group is characterized by speaking one of the nine most important languages derived from the Mayas in Guatemala. A small number of akatekos are native of Mexico, however, the majority of members of this ethnic group inhabits Guatemalan territory.
Recently, the number of inhabitants of this ethnic group has been reduced. Even in the reserve areas assigned to this ethnic group, it can be seen how their numbers have been significantly diminished.
This ethnic group inhabits the mountainous region of Guatemala, near volcanic areas. Most of the population are engaged in agricultural work, harvesting enough food in the fertile soil of Guatemala. Even some families get their livelihood from the sale of products such as coffee, sugar, cardamom or banana.
The garments used by this ethnic group are produced from the use of sheared wool from sheep grazing.
Although this ethnic group is mainly animist and of Mayan tradition, some members have converted to Christianity, adopting ideas related to the Christian god, who has the power to affect their lives and daily events. In this way, some akatekos believe in the writings of the Old Testament.
9 - Achi
The Achi ethnic group comprises approximately 148,000 individuals within the territory of Guatemala.
This ethnic group has its own language from which its name is derived (Achi). Although its dialect is derived from the Mayas, this does not mean that it can communicate easily with other tribes of Mayan origin.
Unlike other animist ethnicities, the religion practiced mainly by the Achi is Roman Catholic. The members of this ethnic group are located only in Guatemala.
10 - Other Mayan ethnicities
There are other ethnic groups derived from the Maya in Guatemala, which include Afro-mestizo individuals.
Most of these groups live on the southeastern side of Guatemala in rural areas with little development, and together comprise 9% of the country's population. These groups are poqomchi', awakateko, sakapulteko, ixil, achi, chuj, Ccho'rti', q'anjob'al, uspanteko, mopan, itza', sipakapense and tektiteko.
Xincas
The Xincas are the second ethnic group recognized by the government of Guatemala. It is a non-Mayan group that lives mainly in southern Guatemala, near the Savior.
This ethnic group has had to face problems very similar to those faced by the Maya, however, their culture has not spread, in fact, the language xinca is rarely spoken today in Guatemala. AND In total, the xinca population occupies only 1% of the country's total population.
Garífuna
The Garífuna ethnic group is the third group formally recognized by the government of Guatemala.
The Garífuna come from the mix between Africans, Arawakos and Amerindians of the Caribbean. As the Xincas, the Garífuna only reach a smaller percentage of the total population of Guatemala, however, it is common to find them along the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala.
The Gariganu (plural of Garífuna) are located mainly in the Atlantic coast, specifically in Livingston and Puerto Barrios. Most members of this ethnic group speak Spanish and Garífuna language (a mixture of Arawako, Caribbean dialects, French and English).
Ladinos or mestizos
The most representative ethnic group in Guatemala after the Mayans are Ladinos or mestizos.
People with Native American ancestors mixed with Europeans, that is, any individual whose cultural heritage is derived from the mix of Spaniards and Mayans or other Amerindians, is considered a member of this ethnic group.
Guatemala is a country that has been invaded multiple times by foreigners, for this reason its official language is Spanish and the mixture between cultures is a common event. Ladino is the term given in Guatemala to those born of the mixture between Europeans and Amerindians.
The population of Ladinos in Guatemala is found mainly in urban areas, such as the capital city (Guatemala) and other major cities. At the time when Guatemala became independent, the Ladino population was made up of approximately 600,000 individuals. At present, the Ladino population comprises 42% of the total population of the country.
Ladinos are recognized as an independent ethnic group, with a mixed heritage due to the importance of the phenomenon of the Spanish colony in Latin America and its consequences in the process of mestizaje.
Some Ladinos fear the strength given to indigenous movements in recent years. It is believed that the country's hegemony could end and Ladinos and other non-Amerindian ethnicities could suffer violence at the hands of Amerindian ethnic groups.
There is no evidence that these fears are unfounded since Guatemala is a nation composed of a cultural mix between European and indigenous traditions.
This means that, in the future, it is likely that the consolidation of ethnicities and social interactions of the country will be filtered through social classes rather than through the ethnic or historical past of individuals.
Other ethnic groups
There are small groups of Arabs who also reside in Guatemala City and a considerable number of Jews who emigrated from Germany and eastern Europe during the nineteenth century.
Colonies from Asia, mainly Chinese and Korean, can also be found, whose ancestors came to Guatemala to work in the railway industry and farms during the 20th century.
White
The white population of Guatemala came from Europe during the seventeenth century. The majority of white individuals in Guatemala have Spanish ancestors who arrived in America during colonial times.
Those Spaniards born in Guatemalan territory are known as creoles. During the period of the Spanish colony, the Spanish settlers had descendants with the natives, giving way to the mestizo ethnic group, which continues to dominate the majority of the population of Guatemala.
Currently, the white population in Guatemala comprises 18% of the country's total population.
References
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- Cultures, C. a. (2017). Countries and Their Cultures . Retrieved from"Poqomam - Orientation: everyculture.com".
- McArthur, R. (2017). People Groups . Retrieved from PEOPLE NAME: ACHI OF GUATEMALA: peoplegroups.org.
- Muscato, C. (2017). com . Obtained from Guatemala Ethnic Groups: study.com
- Network, G.R. (2017). Info . Retrieved from Popti of United States: peoplegroups.info.
- Project, J. (2014). People and Language Detail Profile . Obtained from The Akateko of Guatemala and Mexico: joshuaproject.net.
- Project, J. (2017). People Groups . Obtained from Tzutujil in Guatemala: joshuaproject.net
- Worldatlas. com. (December 16, 2016). World Atlas . Obtained from Ethnic Groups Of Guatemala: worldatlas.com.