Guatemalan Wedding, Phoenix, AZ, 1990-01

A Lutheran pastor officiated at a Christian rite for Dennys and Genaro, who is a Guatemalan weaver, and blessed them during the Mayan wedding rite. Now presiding, while Dennys signs the marriage certificate, the pastor wears a stole woven by the bridegroom.

Katrina Thomas's notes: People of Central America observe a mixture of Christian and Mayan wedding customs. I photographed a Guatemalan weaver and his American bride who were married in both cultures. A Lutheran minister officiated at the first. It was followed by a Mayan ceremony, for which they changed into native dress, although there was no presiding shaman. The focus of the Mayan rite is the couple's spiritual link with the earth and Mother Nature. The bride and groom sat barefoot in front of the church pews at the edge of a small handwoven rug while children set candles and an ear of corn before them, the significance of which was not explained to me.