📜 K'iche' Maya

Keepers of the Popol Vuh

Who Are the K'iche'?

The K'iche' (K'iche' Maya) are the largest Maya group in Guatemala, with approximately 1.6 million speakers of the K'iche' language in the western highlands. Their ancestors created the Popol Vuh, one of the most important works of indigenous American literature. Before the Spanish conquest, the K'iche' kingdom, centered at Q'umarkaj, dominated highland Guatemala. Today, K'iche' communities maintain distinctive weaving traditions, the 260-day sacred calendar, and syncretic religious practices blending Maya and Catholic elements. Many K'iche' suffered during Guatemala's civil war (1960-1996), which targeted indigenous communities.

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Q'umarkajAncient Capital

The Popol Vuh

The Popol Vuh (Book of the Community) is the K'iche' creation epic, describing the gods' multiple attempts to create humanity, the adventures of the Hero Twins in the underworld, and the history of the K'iche' people through founding dynasties. Recorded in alphabetic K'iche' around 1554-1558 from oral tradition (and possibly a now-lost hieroglyphic book), the Popol Vuh preserved Pre-Columbian Maya mythology that would otherwise be lost. It remains a living text—recited, studied, and revered by K'iche' communities today.

The Sacred Calendar

Maya daykeepers (aj q'ij) maintain the 260-day sacred calendar (cholq'ij in K'iche'), which has been kept in unbroken count for over 2,500 years. Each day has unique spiritual qualities affecting activities, ceremonies, and personal destiny. Children receive nahuales (day-sign energies) based on their birth date. Daykeepers perform ceremonies at mountain shrines and special altars, burning candles and offerings matching the day's requirements. This calendrical knowledge, nearly eradicated during colonization, survived in highland communities and now experiences revival.

Weaving Identity

K'iche' women are master weavers, creating intricate huipiles (blouses) and other textiles using backstrap looms. Each community has distinctive patterns and color combinations allowing regional identification. Designs may include representations of the cosmos, animals, and ancient symbols. Weaving connects women to ancestors who passed down techniques and designs through generations. Today, cooperatives market K'iche' textiles internationally, providing income while preserving traditions. Weaving remains central to K'iche' women's identity and artistic expression.

Genocide and Survival

During Guatemala's civil war, the army committed genocide against Maya communities, particularly in the early 1980s. K'iche' regions saw massacres, village destruction, and forced displacement. Rigoberta Menchú, a K'iche' woman, won the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy documenting these atrocities. Despite devastating losses, K'iche' communities have worked to rebuild, recover remains for proper burial, and pursue justice. Historical memory movements ensure that younger generations understand this history while celebrating K'iche' cultural persistence.

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