Mayan Portrait, Guatemala
Lisa Kristine

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Twice a week Mayans, with bundles of goods on their backs, stream down the cobblestone streets to the center square of Chichicastanengo, where the largest indigenous market continues to take place. The ancient Mayan civilization, considered one of the grandest in history, occupied a vast geographic area in Central and South America from around 2000 BC until 1500 AD. Today descendants of the old Maya, known locally as the indigenous, account for more than half of the Guatemalan population. Their vibrant culture is thriving, as evidenced by the many traditionally dressed woman and children throughout the country