Santiago Atitlán – Sololá Department – Guatemala

A Tz’utujil Tradition

During my latest scouting trip in Guatemala, I returned to Santiago Atitlán, on the shores of Lake Atitlán, a village I hadn’t visited in almost 20 years. To my surprise, some things had barely changed—the market, the atmosphere, and many aspects of everyday life.

Walking through the market, I came across an elderly Tz’utujil woman still wearing the traditional dress of her community, a sight that is becoming increasingly rare among younger generations. This distinctive clothing is also represented on Guatemala’s 25-centavo coin, carried in pockets all across the country.

I kindly asked if I could take her portrait, and she later invited me into her humble home. It was an emotional moment—a chance to go beyond the photograph and catch a glimpse of the life behind it.

Now 80 years old and widowed, she still works to make a living... A brief encounter that turned into something much more meaningful than the portrait I had initially hoped to make.