Rabinal is located about 4 and half hours from Guatemala City.  It is a small town located in Baja Verapaz.  The main economic activities include , agriculture and handicrafts.  Rabinal is famous for its oranges.  Peanut is also grown in the area, as well as coffee, cardamom, and the basic food staple of the population which is corn and basic grains.  In the area of handicraft you have weavers, wood carvers, pottery made from clay, wax and other artisan work done with local material.  Rabinal's annual "fiesta" takes place from January 19 through January 25.  This celebration ends with Mayan ritual at a nearby fortified city (only small ruins remain) in a hill overseeing the town.

Rabinal was severely affected by the internal thirty-six year old war of Guatemala.  Many thousands of people were taken from Rabinal and the surrounding villages by the Army and Civilian Militia and never seen again.  Today there are major excavations going on exhuming the corps in those sites that have been found.  Rabinal has a small museum which reminds the visitors of the violence that rocked the foundation of this small town.   Market day takes place on Tuesday and Sunday in the main plaza across the Church and City Hall.  For more information, visit the local Chamber of Commerce and its' Internet Center.

Below are some of the pictures that portray this small rural Achi Mayan town.  Double click on the picture thumbnail to enlarge it.

Main Church in the Plaza	Old Lady	Part of City Hall	Plowing the field	Handicraft workshop at a home
Persons involved in the killing	A small group of those murdered are remembered	More of the victims of the dirty war	Forgive but do not Forget, so it will never happen again!	Names of people murdered by the Military in the cementary
Remembering those massacred by the military	The Municipality Palace	A Group of Woman who make handicraft	Some of the new designs introduced in the communty.	The 1st Internet Center
The 1st Video Conference Held during the Inauguration of the Intenet Center.	Market Day	Market Day	Market Day	Market Day
Market Day	Market Day	Market Day	Market Day	Students leaving school
Achi Mayan Mother & Daugther	Little boy	On the road towards Rabinal	The Center of Town	Playing Marimba
The Valley that surrounds Rabinal	Achi Mayan Woman	Achi Mayan Children	Town Hall	Main Church