Guatemalan Highland Markets

 

he vividly clashing colors of tribal affiliation blend into the chaotic perfection of one of Central America’s most enduring and impressive sights – the Guatemalan market place. From the tourist centers of Antigua and Lake Atitlan to the remote villages of Todos Santos and Cotzal, the frenetic energy of Mayan trade has endured a series of onslaughts from civil war to mass tourism.

Whether it be the souvenir stalls of Chichicastenango or the traditionally woven Huipiles of Nebaj, highland villagers live to haggle and trade – and – haggle and trade to live. Both the heart of traditional culture and a mechanism for daily survival, the market place continues to embody the Guatemalan experience.

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