Indian girl from San Cristobal de Totonicapán, a picturesque village in western Guatemala. The indigenous people of Guatemala, who make up almost half of the country's population, are found mainly in the mountainous regions. They are divided into six main ethnic groups, each with a number of subgroups. Most of the Indians are more or less direct descendants of the pre-Columbian Maya, from whom they have inherited many traditions in terms of daily activities, social life, beliefs and crafts. However, they have not been without the influence of Western culture, from which they have borrowed many elements. Nevertheless, the present-day Indians of Guatemala and neighbouring regions continue to courageously defend an invaluable heritage that gives the country its personality. - 1977
