Santiago Atitlán

Welcome to Santiago Atitlán, the largest town on the lake and the heart of the Tz'utujil people. Before the Spanish arrived, their capital stood just across the bay, at Chuitinamit, at the foot of the San Pedro volcano. In 1547 the population was moved to this site.

The church of Santiago Apóstol in front of you was built by the Franciscans between 1571 and 1582. Step inside and look at the wooden saints: many wear garments woven by the women of the town, because here the Catholic faith and Maya tradition live in the same house.

Father Stanley Rother served in this church, a priest from Oklahoma who learned Tz'utujil, translated the New Testament and was murdered in 1981, at the height of the internal armed conflict. He was beatified in 2017 and his heart is buried here, in this very church.

A few blocks away is Maximón, also called Rilaj Mam, the Great Grandfather. He is a wooden figure dressed in scarves and a hat who moves to a new house every year, guarded by a religious brotherhood. People bring him candles, liquor and tobacco to ask for favours. You may visit him, but remember: it is a sacred space, ask before taking photos and leave an offering.

Notice the women's dress: the tocoyal, a red band several metres long wound around the head like a halo. If you have an old twenty-five centavo coin, look at the back: the woman on it is Concepción Ramírez, from Santiago Atitlán, wearing her tocoyal.

In the production phase this point will have audio narrated by the community in Tz'utujil. In the demo you hear the Spanish and English versions.