Patzún


Patzún is a town, with a population of 26,632 and a municipality in the Chimaltenango department of Guatemala.

History

Originally a Kaqchikel village founded in the 12th century, it belong to the Iximche kingdom until the latter was conquered by the Spaniards in the 1520s. From then it was under the jurisdiction of the Franciscans and remain such for the most part of the Spanish Colony.
In 1895, the town was visited by archeologist Alfred Percival Maudslay and his wife, Anne Cary Maudslay. Maudslay's wife described the town from a Victorian Era perspective in their book A glimpse at Guatemala:
Anne Maudslay continues:

Culture

Traditional local wardrobe

Anne Maudslay described the local wardrobe as follows in A glimpse at Guatemala: The dress of the men is rather Eastern in effect, and consists of a long loose sleeveless garment woven from the undyed wool of the black sheep. It is open at the sides, is longer in the back than in front, and is usually drawn in round the waist with a belt. Loose trousers of the same material reach to the knee, and below them appear the embroidered edges of the loose white cotton drawers. The huipils of the women are woven in stripes and brightly colored with native dyes, and the home-made "enagua" of blue and white striped cotton is fastened round the waist over the huipil by an embroidered belt with hanging ends. Every woman carries over her arm a small striped cotton shawl to throw over her bare neck and arms in the cool of the evening, and both men and women wear colored handkerchiefs knotted round their heads. We made many efforts to buy some of the good huipils, but without success, and the women quite frightened Gorgonio by the vehemence of their indignation at being asked to sell their garments. This is hardly to be wondered at, for we learnt that their stock of clothes usually included only one huipil in the wearing and one in the loom, and it must take a long time to work the elaborate patterns in cross-stitch with which they are embroidered."

Gallery

Climate

Patzún has a subtropical highland climate.

Geographic location

It is almost completely surrounded by Chimaltenango Department municipalities: