Below are two videos from a Mayan Q’eqchi’ Ceremony held to celebrate the completion of a new water project in a village.

See post about that here.

 

Most  Q’eqchi’ people are Christians and attend church on Sundays, but many people, especially the older people, continue to practice some of their indigenous rites and ceremonies. The prayers spoken at these events are often a mixture of Christian and traditional indigenous beliefs

Several village elders trekked up to the top of the river that is the source of their water and held a ceremony to give thanks. The first video shows the group beginning the ceremony by ceremonially burying a chicken and tamales. The hole is sprinkled with blood from the chicken and then buried. Then candles are placed around the hole and prayers are spoken.

Part 1:

 

 

 

Part 2 follows a prayer circle held at the source of the village’s water. Candles are placed in a circle, a seed from the forest that contains a flammable oil is placed into a hole and lit. Then everyone – individually, but at the same time – speaks their personal prayers of thanks and petitions to God.

 

Part 2:

 

 

 

After the ceremonies were held, everyone hiked back to the village, where a Catholic Mass was held, followed by a village-wide party.