Santa Cruz Verapaz offers a specific cultural point of reference for planning a trip: the Danza de las Guacamayas, also known as Ma’muun. It is a cultural tradition deeply rooted in Santa Cruz Verapaz in the department of Alta Verapaz and is usually performed on May 3, the town’s patron saint festival. If you would like to plan your stay around this occasion, you can use May 3 as a starting point and check the date for the relevant year. The usual performance date is not a guarantee for any particular year; therefore, consider the festival date and the actual performance separately when choosing your travel dates.

Ma’muun: Performance Date and Story

The Danza de las Guacamayas performance tells a Pocomchí story said to have taken place before the arrival of the Spanish. Two distinct aspects therefore come together: the usual performance date during the patron saint festival and the pre-Spanish setting of the story being told. One helps with timing, while the other describes the content of the dance performance. Those interested in Ma’muun can therefore understand the tradition both through its connection to the festival and through its Pocomchí story.

Another Dance Tradition

The Danza Prehispánica Ancestral Maya also originated in the municipality of Santa Cruz Verapaz. It is another named cultural reference associated with the municipality; its origins should not be conflated with the Pocomchí story of the Danza de las Guacamayas. The two names raise different questions: Ma’muun concerns the story told in the performance, while the Danza Prehispánica Ancestral Maya is associated with its origins in Santa Cruz Verapaz. This distinction is useful when using these names as cultural points of reference.

Place Name and Historical References

The name of the town is also part of its historical context: Santa Cruz Verapaz was originally known as Santa Cruz Munchú. The municipality of Santa Cruz Verapaz also has a Catholic temple said to be of considerable historical value. The former name relates to the town’s history; the temple adds a religious building said to have historical value to the perspective at the municipal level. Together with the dance traditions, these create a cultural framework encompassing the history of the name, stories told in performances, and religious references.

Coordinate Your Travel Dates and Accommodation

If you would like to travel for the patron saint festival, check the program for the relevant year. If your travel dates are not tied to May 3, the cultural references remain a distinct reason to consider the town. For set travel dates, the town’s cultural context can also help with choosing a destination, without planning your stay specifically around the usual performance date.

Discover more destinations: Chahal, Actelá, Cobán, Lanquín

See the wider travel overview: Alta Verapaz.