While Guatemala is the largest Central American country in terms of population (13.8 million) and economic activity, its largely rural, Mayan population live in extremely difficult conditions. Distribution of land, income and other wealth is controlled by a small percentage of Guatemala’s Spanish-speaking population. An estimated 75% of Guatemalans live in poverty, and the roughly 5 million Mayans are isolated socially, economically and politically due to geographic and language barriers, as well as the lack of educational and economic opportunity. The country’s social indicators are among the worst in the hemisphere. Overall adult literacy is estimated at 70 percent, but literacy among Mayan women is estimated as low as 30 percent. Less than half of rural Guatemalans have access to running water, only a quarter have access to electricity and less than one in ten have access to modern sanitation facilities. Infant, child and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in Latin America.

Quiché (pronounced [kʼi ˈtʃeʔ]) are a Maya ethnic group. Their indigenous language, the Quiché language, is a Mesoamerican language of the Mayan language family. The highland Quiché states in the pre-Columbian era are associated with the ancient Maya civilization.

The meaning of the word "Quiché'" is "many trees." The word is broken into two parts, "k'i", meaning "many" and "che'", meaning "tree." The Nahuatl translation is Cuauhtēmallān which gave the name to the modern Nation of Guatemala. El Quiché is also the name of a department of modern Guatemala.

The Quiché were conquered by the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in 1524. Their last military commander, Tecún Umán, led the K'iche' armies against the combined forces of Pedro de Alvarado and their Kaqchikel allies, in an epic battle in the valley of Xelajú (Quetzaltenango). The Quiché' armies were defeated, and close to 10,000 Quiché died, including Tecún Umán, who has since lived on as a legendary figure in the Quiché oral tradition. After the battle, the Quiché surrendered and invited Alvarado to their capital, Q'umarkaj. However, Alvarado suspected an ambush and had the city burned. The ruins of the city can still be seen, just a short distance from Santa Cruz del Quiché.

One of the most significant surviving Mesoamerican literary documents and primary sources of knowledge about Maya societal traditions, beliefs and mythological accounts is a product of the 16th century Quiché people. This document, known as the Popol Vuh ("Pop wuj" in proper Quiché - "the book of events") and originally written around the 1550s, contains a compilation of mythological and ethno-historical narratives known to these people at that time, which were drawn from earlier pre-Columbian sources (now lost) and also oral traditional storytelling.

The Quiché is mountainous region with deep ravines, high plateaus, valleys and peaks stands out because of it amazing flora and fauna. You will also find traces of the pre-hispanic as well as colonial times.

The Quichés are very proud of their heritage and ancient traditions. Their inhabitants are dedicated in great part to agriculture with all kinds of crops. Each community has its patron saint festivals, "cofradías" (brotherhoods) and religious customs, which are mixed with pre-hispanic rites and Spanish religious ceremonies. They maintain strong bonds with their traditions, customs and they have great respect for the elderly.