Life in Guatemala A to Z: Mayans

The Mayan people are the best part about living in Guatemala. 

Their enterprising and artistic spirits...

their colorful handiwork and tapestries...

the devotion to their religion...

their celebrations and festivals...

and most of all, their beautiful, friendly smiling faces....

Life in Guatemala A to Z: Indigenous and Industrious

The native people in Guatemala are sometimes called Indians, more often referred to as Mayans, or Mayan Indians. They are also called the Indigenous people of Guatemala. However, I can describe them with one word: industrious.

I'll post more about the Mayans when I get to M, because they are fascinating to me. I have never seen such hard-working people in my entire life, and that's saying something coming from Midwest farmer stock and having lived two decades in Utah (state symbol is a honeybee to symbolize industry).

The indigenous people of Guatemala put an American to shame. Whether it's working together as a family, several generations together sharing responsibility for the family occupation, or whether it's education, or just trying to better one's station-- the industrious nature of the Mayan people commands my respect.

There is a family bakery where a young man sits at night over his school books, minding the store in case someone comes in to buy the last of the goods for sale.

Young girls help their mothers daily in open rooms next to the street, where they make and sell fresh tortillas.

Little boys carry around shoeshine kits, running from one tourist to another, offering to shine shoes for a small fee.

Ancient grandmothers in bare feet carry huge loads down from the mountain to sell their wares. No job is too small, no burden too great.

I am glad at least to see this old man is wearing shoes.

Everywhere one sees industrious Mayans going about their business, whatever it is. Whether building or repairing or carrying or selling or creating or sorting or cleaning-- everywhere the work goes on. I feel truly fortunate to share a community with such hard-working people. I admire their industrious natures, and I learn from them each day.