Feria: Rabínal Achí - Color

Feria is a term used in Latin American countries to denote a festival, often associated with the religious holiday of a town’s patron saint, making each event unique to the village in which it is held. The main affair during feria is a source of communal cultural renewal as well as a rite of passage. Rabínal Achí is the only Guatemalan ceremonial tradition without any vestige of Hispanic influence. A combination of richly costumed masked dance, music, and theatre, the Rabínal Achí addresses Mayan myth and folklore predating Hispanic culture, and is performed in the indigenous language Achí. For centuries the tradition was passed down verbally and continued in secret after the invasion of the Spanish. That it survived intact for hundreds of years is a testament to the steadfastness of Maya culture.