inside and outside its territory. The Quetzal, the Flag, the Ceiba, the White Nun, the Coat of Arms, the emblematic figure of Tecún Umán and our national instrument, the Marimba, are elements that symbolize and strengthen our national identity. 1. The Quetzal Considered a divine bird by the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica, our national bird was related to the deity Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent in the methodology of our ancestors. The Quetzal was considered the "god of the air" due to its ability to fly and its green feathers were used as a symbol for the growth of plants in the spring. It is a medium-sized bird (36-40 cm long) but males can have tails up to 65 cm long. It was declared National Bird of Guatemala on November 18, 1871 when General Miguel García Granados issued Decree No. 33.
Name in Spanish Quetzal
Name in kaqchikel q’uq Date declared national symbol November 18, 1871 Public holiday September 5 Meaning In several Mesoamerican languages, the term Quetzal has the meaning of "sacred", "precious" or "erected".
2. The Ceiba Considered a tree typical of America, La Ceiba has earned its place in the hearts of Guatemalans for its beautiful foliage and its incredible size. Reaching up to 50 meters in height and 3 meters in diameter . To give you an idea of how immense our National Tree can be, you should know that it would take up to 6 people holding hands to be able to surround it. It was declared a National Tree and national symbol of Guatemala on March 8, 1995 during the government of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas.
Name in Spanish Ceiba
Name in kaqchikel inup Date declared national symbol March 8, 1995 Public holiday March 8 Meaning For the Mayans, the Ceiba represented the communication of humans with the sky and the underworld, it is also considered the tree of life, sacred tree, cradle of Xibalbá.
3. The White Nun Orchid Located in the forests of Las Verapaces, the White Nun Orchid is the National Flower and a national symbol for Guatemala. The origin of its name is due to the fact that in the center it has a small stem that resembles a praying nun, and being white, it was baptized as the White Nun Orchid. During the international flower show in Miami Beach, Florida in 1933. Botanist Ulises Rojas proposed the White Nun as the National Symbol of Guatemala. Therefore, President Jorge Ubico decreed the White Nun as the National Flower on February 11, 1934.
Name in Spanish White nun
Name in kaqchikel Sak ijix Date declared national symbol February 11, 1934 Public holiday February 11th Meaning This flower symbolizes peace, purity, beauty and also the great fertile wealth of Guatemala.
4. The Coat of Arms The Coat of Arms is the national symbol of Guatemala with more elements in the five in total. It was designed by the Swiss Juan Bautista Frener and decreed as a national symbol by Executive Decree No. 33 on November 18, 1871 during the government of General Miguel García Granados. All this happened due to the commemoration of the 50 years of independence of Guatemala . On that occasion, the president and general Miguel García Granados asked the mint for a design to celebrate the special date for the Guatemalan people. This work was in charge of the Swiss engraver Juan Bautista Frener . The president liked the new design of the Coat of Arms so much that he decided to include it as one of the national symbols of Guatemala and the coat of arms of the republic.
Name in Spanish Coat of arms
Date declared national symbol November 18, 1871 Meaning Among the elements of the shield are the rifles, which allude to force, while the swords to justice and sovereignty. The laurel branches to victory, the parchment recalls the date of Independence (September 15, 1821) and the quetzal symbolizes freedom.
5. The Marimba Denominated as an autochthonous instrument and a favorite national symbol for many. The Marimba was decreed as the national symbol of Guatemala on August 31, 1999 during the government of Álvaro Arzú. There is no general agreement on the origin of this musical instrument, some believe that it was created by the civilizations of Mesoamerica but others argue that its origins lie in the African continent. Regardless of the origin of this instrument, the Marimba has made countless generations of Guatemalans dance to the rhythm that only an instrument like this could generate. A curious fact is that in Guatemala the concept of the double marimba was created, which was not known until then and the marimba was put on its feet so that it could be interpreted standing up.
Name in Spanish Marimba
Name in kaqchikel Tilinb´atz ´ Date declared national symbol August 31, 1999 Public holiday February 20th
6. Tecún Umán Regent of the Quiché Mayan people during the conquest and assassinated in battle by the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Alvarado in February 1524. Today, Tecún Umán is remembered as a national hero who gave his life defending his country from foreign invasion. There are multiple legends of this character, but the most famous one tells that at the time of death on the battlefield a quetzal (National Bird of Guatemala) rested in him and his blood stained the quetzal's chest red . Since then chest the quetzal to shown the red color of the blood of our national hero. On March 22, 1960 Tecún Umán was officially declared a National Hero of Guatemala and a symbol of the defense of Guatemalan nationality by the Congress of the Republic, through Decree number 1334.
Name in Spanish Tecún Uman
Name in kaqchikel Tekun Umam Date declared national symbol March 22, 1960 Public holiday February 20th
7. National anthem of Guatemala Named one of the most beautiful national anthems in the world in the 20th century, the Guatemalan national anthem is the national symbol that makes the hearts of all the Guatemalan people beat more strongly when listening to it. Since its creation in 1897 and modification in 1934 by orders of General Jorge Ubico, the national anthem of Guatemala represents the love of a people for the sovereignty of their country. On March 14, 1987, the national anthem composed of the music of Rafael Ovalle and the poem written by the Cuban José Joaquín Palma (later modified by the Guatemalan poet José Bonilla) was officially named the national anthem of Guatemala .
Name in Spanish National anthem of Guatemala
Date declared national symbol March 14, 1987 Public holiday October 24th Meaning In the words of the sociologist Carlos E. Prahl : "The national anthem is the voice of a people that sings in unison their glories, their ideals, their civic conquests, their struggles for freedom, their common projects, their hopes"
8. National flag of Guatemala This has its origins in the conservative government of General Rafael Carrera y Turcios but since then it has undergone multiple changes until it reaches the blue and white that we currently have. The meaning of the National Flag lies in its colors. The white strip between the two celestial bodies represents the fact that the country is located between the Pacific Ocean to the south and the Caribbean Sea to the northwest. Characteristic that very few countries in the world share. It was named among the national symbols of Guatemala on August 17, 1871 by President Miguel García Granados in Agreement No. 12 and it is very common that on its day it is celebrated with the pledge to the Guatemalan flag .
Name National flag
Date declared national symbol August 17, 1871 Public holiday 17 of August Meaning The white strip between the two celestial bodies represents the fact that the country is located between the Pacific Ocean to the south and the Caribbean Sea to the northwest.