QUECHI ARE A CENTRAL AMERICAN MAYAN GROUP WHO SPEAKS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DIALECTS. IN THE 1980'S THE QUECHI SPEAKERS ARE ABOUT 350,000 IN GUATEMALA AND 4000 IN BELIZE. THEY HAVE 12,000 SQ. KM THEY SPEAK PROTO MAYAN.
THEIR HISTORY IS FULL OF POLITICAL CONFLICT. BEFORE 1529 GUATEMALA POLITICAL CONFLICT. BEFORE 1529 GUATEMALA WAS THE LAND OF WAR. THEY HAD MILITARY RESISTANCE. THE COMBINED FACTORS OF MILITARY RESISTANCE AND DISPERSAL OF THE QUECHE POPULATION FOR AGRICULTURAL REASONS MADE CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT NOT EFFECTIVE. THE CHURCH DID NOT GAIN CONTROL OF THE QUECHI PEOPLE EITHER. THE INDIANS WERE OPEN TO EXPLOITATION AS WELL.
IN THE 19TH CENTURY PLANTATION AGRICULTURE WAS SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT POLICIES, AND HAD 2 MARKED NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE POPULATION. THE TRIBAL LANDS BECAME OWNED BY ANGLOS. THE QUECHI BECAME WAGE LABORERS. BY 1877 ALL COMMUNAL LAND WAS ABOLISHED BY GOVERNMENT DECREE. MANY MOVED TO BELIZE. BECAUSE OF POVERTY THERE HAS BEEN MUCH POLITICAL UNREST. GUATEMALA HAS RESPONDED TO THE INDIANS ACTIVISM WITH MILITARY REPRESSION. ABOUT 25% OF QUECHI POPULATION MOVED TO THE US. CORN IS CENTRAL TO THEIR LIFE.
AT THE AGE OF 6 OR 7 THE MALES GO WITH THEIR FATHERS AND THE GIRLS GO WITH THEIR MOTHERS. AT THE AGE OF 15 THEY MAY MARRY. MARRIAGE IS ARRANGED BY THE PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN AND INCLUDES A BRIDE PRICE.
THE PARENTS OF THE MALE FORM A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER PARENTS. AFTER MARRIAGE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN HOUSE. SOME EXTENDED FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS EXIST. PARENTS GRANT THEIR PROPERTY TO CHILDREN WHO OFFER LABOR OR CARE GIVING.
THE QUECHI BELIEFS ARE IN GODS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE CATHOLICS CHURCH. THE QUECHI HAVE ACCEPTED THE CHRISTIAN GOD AND HOLD FIESTAS TO CELEBRATE THE PATRON SAINT OF EACH VILLAGE. WITHIN THE QUEQCHI COSMOLOGY THEIR GODS PRESIDE OVER NATURE.
THEIR TRADITIONAL RELIGION IS COMPLEX. BEFORE PLANTING THEIR CROPS THE FARMER AND WIFE PERFORM A FERTILITY RITUAL. THEY SIMILATE INTERCOURSE IN THREE CORNERS OF THEIR HOUSE. THEY HAVE OTHER CEREMONIES AS WELL.
NATIVE-LANGUAGGES.ORG
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