The Rabinal Achí
Declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, the Rabinal Achí is the only example of a pre-Columbian Mayan dance-drama known and enacted today.
The 600-year-old play is preserved and performed by Xajoj Tun, a small troupe of dedicated performers made up mostly of Achí Mayan elders who struggle to keep the tradition alive due to numerous obstacles, but primarily lack of interest from non-family youth.
The Rabinal Achí, important because of its historic, spiritual and artistic content, is carried out publicly on a dozen different locations during the week-long annual syncretic festivities celebrating Saint Paul, Rabinal town’s patron saint.
All photographs from January 2017. Rabinal, Guatemala.
Currently unpublished.
To license images follow these instructions and download from this gallery