A Trip To Chichicastenango | Guatemala's Explosively Colorful Market

If you look up things to do in Guatemala, Chichicastenango Market will undoubtedly come up, as it’s one of the biggest and most beautiful markets in Central America. It has long been a trading post and place of value for the Mayan people and represents a sort of all-encompassing independence from the way they sell their goods to the way they practice a religion that was once punishable to the way that what truly is everyday and mundane for natives seems both requisite and monumental to outsiders.

Chichicastenango is a town in the highlands, so from Antigua, considered the central highlands, it’s nearly a three-hour drive climbing steep mountains and traversing several small towns.

There are at least a couple reasons you might go to the market, namely if you’re interested in buying produce, florals, textiles, souvenirs and the like, but it is also one of the absolute best places to be immersed in indigenous Mayan culture.

The Church of Santo Tomás happens to be directly next to the market, so before browsing and shopping, I had the opportunity to watch people in sacred conversation with great entities and lighting candles for guidance, protection, or whatever might seem necessary in the moment. Conveniently, those who go to pray, perform rituals, and make sacrifices can purchase candles, incense, and even chickens right there at the market.

In this wrinkle in time, it is abundantly apparent how important both life and death are and one not without the other. As you smile and coo at a small baby strapped close to his mother’s body in brilliant textiles, so you’ll also note that you are steps away from bright and splashy tombstones in the cemetery overlooking the market. I’m told that many Mayan women believe having small children around keeps death away, but the close proximity to an expansive cemetery of cerulean crosses, mountainous tombstones, and dried flowers implies otherwise.

Making purchases does not come without effort, but neither does wanting to just browse without actually purchasing. According to some locals and Mexican friends I made, the goods were extremely pricey, and the word no means nothing to vendors, especially the children who are selling items like pens, bookmarks, and headbands to be able to attend school. Having said that, it’s okay to haggle within reason and some vendors will even push you to, but the privilege of traveling anywhere requires that you keep in mind that this is how the natives make a living. Be considerate.

The market commands patience, and for me, an inner quietness stills me when I’m considering a purchase strictly out of obligation to the people and raises it’s voice to urge me when something is meant for me to return home with.

I was thoroughly encapsulated by the market and surrounding area, because it truly felt like I had gone back in time. Every Thursday and Sunday, this hallowed ground explodes with color and commotion and culture, and you’ll undoubtedly want to be there.

Although I’ve said many words, it still feels impossible to describe the experience. So I’ll show you.