Government Ministers Experience Deer Dance Celebration in Toledo

Ministers Dolores Balderamos Garcia and Oscar Requeña were in Jalacte Village, Toledo last week to celebrate a unique Mayan sacred dance known as The Deer Dance. The dance depicts a deer hunting scene from around the time of the Spanish conquest which began in the late fifteen century. The Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs sponsored the celebration. Here is what both ministers had to say about the experience.

Oscar Requeña

Oscar Requeña, Minister of Rural Transformation

“It was such a wonderful event this morning in Jalacte where we witnessed the deer dance. It certainly demonstrates the rich culture, the rich diversity of the Kechi Maya, and certainly it is wonderful to see that you know that there are many persons in the community who wants to continue to preserve, and to promote the culture, the traditions, the believes, the language of our Maya people. That is so wonderful.”

Dolores Balderamos Garcia

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs

“Our Ministry assisted in sponsoring the event of there, I guess in Spanish you would say, fiesta. I don’t know how they say it in Maya. But, it has been an absolutely gorgeous event. We assisted with the renting of the deer dance costumes.  We assisted with putting on the event. There is marimba. There is dancing. What was gorgeous as well was the ritual of praying in the Maya culture to the ancestors, and for the community, for mother earth, that kind of think. So, minister Oscar Requena and myself were extremely honored to participate.”