Guatemala Mayan Queens
Mayan Queens get their portraits taken during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Section:Gallery
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Rosa Lidia Aguare Castro, 23, Mayan Queen representing Santa Lucia La Reforma, Totonicapan, poses for the picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests, during the Rabin Ajau, or Queen Daughter,the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. The contestants, whose ages range from 14-26 years, go through numerous rounds of competition, including a speech that must be given in their native dialect and Spanish. "The difference between the Rabin Ajau with other competitions is that here there are limits to express our ideas. Here we are free to carry our message", said Rosa Lidia to The Associated Press.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Elvy Yolanda Feliciano Ramirez, 16, representing Comitancillo, in Guatemala's San Marcos state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Rafaela Ermelinda Gomez Ichel, 18, representing Olintepeque, Guatemala's Quetzaltenango state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Ana Esperanza Gutierrez Chuni, 16, representing Palin, in Guatemala's Escuintla state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Matilde Teresa Bol Maas, 16, representing Lanquin in Guatemala's Alta Verapaz state, poses for a portrait during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Maria Magdalena Lucas Lopez, 21, representing San Pedro Soloma, Huehuetenango, poses for the picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests, during the Rabin Ajau, or Queen Daughter,the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. The contestants, whose ages range from 14-26 years, go through numerous rounds of competition, including a speech that must be given in their native dialect and Spanish.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Nady Julissa Domingo Gomez, 18, representing Colotenango, in Guatemala's Huehuetenango state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Magdalena Quinilla Batz, 15, representing Canilla, in Guatemala's Quiche state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Matilde Evelyn Ivonne Tzunec Bixcul, 19, representing Solola, in Guatemala's Solola state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Heidi Sofia Chitop Grave, 15, representing San Miguel Uspantan, in Guatemala's Quiche state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Yesenia Vasquez Larios, 17, representing San Miguel Chicaj, in Guatemala's Baja Verapaz state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Natalia Rosmely Panjoj Saquic, 20, representing Santo Tomas Chichicastenango, in Guatemala's state Quiche, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Juana Choc Tzop, 18, representing Ixcan, in Guatemala's Quiche state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Veronica Leticia Mejia Baten, 15, representing San Pedro Jocopilas, in Guatemala's Quiche state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Elsy Natividad Sac Tzaj, 20, representing Nahuala, in Guatemala's Solola state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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In this picture taken Friday, July 29, 2011, Mayan Queen Teresa Gonzales Ixtetela, 18, representing San Pedro La Laguna, in Guatemala's Solola state, poses for a picture during the Rabin Ajau National Folkloric Festival in Coban, Guatemala. Unlike traditional beauty contests the panel of judges not only value the participants' leadership skills, but their commitment to the rescue and maintenance of Mayan values. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd used a 19th-century style wooden box camera that he bought in Afghanistan to photograph these women, who had to hold still for up to two minutes as Abd made exposures with light shining directly from the lens onto photo paper inside the box camera.
Rodrigo Abd Associated Press
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