Tragedy in Chichicastenango

The last few days in Chichicastenango have been sad and hanging over it has been a cloud of disbelief.

Towards the end of clinic on Thursday, Maury called to tell me about a 12 year-old boy who was killed in his home on Wednesday evening.  At this point, they had not found the people who were responsible for the murder but they knew that the reason was robbery.   Three people had broke into the home to steal a television, microwave and radio.  They did not think anyone was home but when the boy appeared, they took him outside and killed him. The parents had not returned home after working in the market.

On Friday, when I met Martina, she told me that they had found two of the people and that the community had proceeded with castigo maya.  This is when the community comes together and they flog the person or persons with a form of a whip, branches or poles.  One of the men was taken to the national hospital because he was severely beaten.

I know some of the family members so I wanted to go to the cemetery for the burial.   It was on Friday afternoon so I walked down to see if I could find the family members that I know.

When I approached the back of the cemetery, there were hundreds and hundreds of people all around the cliff.  Apparently, the third person that they suspected was down below and trying to get away. The area is a large "U" and crowds had formed on all three sides.

 They said that he had slid down this path to escape.

People were running all over below trying to find him.  As the trees would move people would get excited and start to yell........the crowds would shift closer to where there was activity.

As it started to get later, I thought it would be better to get out of there.  I knew that if they found him, he did not have any chance to survive.  I did not want to see or be part of a castigo maya.

What a horrible event.  We found out later that the people who broke into the house and killed the boy are cousins!  Just no words...................all for a televison, microwave and radio.