This color home movie likely dates to the mid to late 1940s and takes the viewer on a tour of two municipalities in the Guatemala Highlands: Cobán and Chichicastenango known for coffee growing, open-air markets, and indigenous Maya populations respectively. The film is largely composed of footage taken at various saint festivals across this region during the month of August. In addition, the film features scenes of outdoor markets, ample examples of local dress, a traditional wedding, and a Pagan shrine. While the film is silent, it does feature text cue cards that explain what the viewer is seeing.

Film opens, text describing next few scenes, festivities from fiesta of St. Dominic (0:08). Rainbow stretches across sky over Cobán (0:14). Group of men walk down street carrying stand with statue of Crucified Christ (0:19). Men carry platform with statue of a saint from its cofradia into a local church perhaps Cobán Cathedral (0:25). Locals walk along street with stalls selling local crafts on the other, people shopping/ preparing for festivities, some women carry baskets/ clay jugs on their heads (0:38). Church goers carry saints out of church and parade them around town to the plaza and archway (1:05). Various aerial views of crowded plaza, packed with locals standing and watching as saints “bow” to patron St. Dominic and visiting St. Francis (2:10). Four young local girls with festive bows in hair pose, smile for camera (3:09). Piñata party at La Posada Hotel: Various shots of kids taking swings at parrot-shaped pinata (3:20). 133 steps to the white Church of El Calvario in Chichicastenango (3:44). Festivities end, saint statues are marched through the town once again and returned to their respective cofradias, some men play musical instruments to accompany procession (4:09). Examples of traditional dress for Cobán women: Huipil with white figures on white lacy background, bright wool braided into long hair, silver bracelets; Many shots of women of different ages carrying goods, flowers on their heads in baskets (5:27). Coffee plants (6:16). Dimly lit shot of women working at coffee farm, sorting through coffee (6:26). Scenes from around San Pedro Carchá village: Women sit at local market, other women wash clothes in stream, home wares like baskets, pottery sold at market (6:32). Men seen waiting on tarmac at airport outside Cobán surrounded by lush green; Douglas DC-3 lands (7:40). Public square in Mixco decorated in colorful banners for fiesta, scenes from market in main square (7:52). Scenes from market day in Sololá: Colorful fresh produce contrasts cobblestone walkways, men wear straw hats, leather backpacks, clutch walking sticks (8:34). Examples of traditional dress for Sololá men seen around market: Red shirts, white trousers with red stripes, short jacket (9:00). Children at local school line up in schoolyard and pose for camera (9:32). Scenes from Sololá fiesta celebrating “The Assumption of the Virgin,” locals wear colorful jackets and masks, indigenous dance style (9:47). Los Encuentros: Junction of important roads just outside Sololá, camera pans town surrounded by green forest from lookout point (10:08). Santo Tomas Church built in Spanish Colonial architectural style (10:30). Locals seen burning copal incense for non-Christian gods (10:46). Procession of a cofradia in Chichicastenango – members of cofradia wear black robes with red cloths, men play drums and other musical instruments (11:05). In church’s shadow barber sets up shop, cuts men’s hair (12:22). Scenes of bustling market in Chichicastenango, examples of colorful local dress (12:32). Aerial view of small home surrounded by lush green trees (12:59). Local mask makers, one of them “Diego Ignacio” plays ancient marimba for camera (13:04). Scenes from indigenous wedding; Bride and groom pose for camera, young man plays ancient marimba and wedding guests dance (13:22). Pre-Columbian Maya idol in wooden ridge above Chichicastenango called Pascual Abaj (formerly Turk’aj Shrine) (14:34). Scenes of local man Pasquele Rin at his home with his daughters who are expert weavers (14:45). Film ends (14:58).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com