In Chichicastenango, the indigenous people celebrate the day of Santo Tomás, patron saint of this beautiful Guatemalan village, on 21 December. The marimba, a xylophone of African origin, found in most places, was probably introduced into Central America during slavery. However, it has undergone significant changes over time, both in terms of its shape and size. It is a bulky instrument with several dozen wooden keys, each with a resonance box. Two or three natives stand in front of this keyboard and strike it with small sticks. In many popular festivals, they are still accompanied by players of wind instruments such as saxophones, trumpets and trombones. These instruments, which came from Europe, were immediately adopted by the locals. - 1977
