Laguna Brava
Encyclopedia
Laguna Brava is a Karstic lake in Guatemala
. It is situated in the municipality of Nentón
(Huehuetenango
), close to the border with Mexico
. The lake is fed by several streams and subterraneous watercourses.
The area around Laguna Brava has been inhabited by Mayan
communities of the Chuj
ethnicity since the 19th century. In the year 2000 a conflict over land usage emerged between indigenous communities depending on the land, and the American owners that just acquired it in order to transform it into a nature reserve.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. It is situated in the municipality of Nentón
Nentón
Nentón is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Huehuetenango. Its territory extends 762.85 km2 and has 9,113 inhabitants. It became a municipality on December 5, 1876 and was formally known as San Benito Nentón...
(Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango (department)
Huehuetenango is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. It is situated in the western highlands and shares borders with México in the north and west; with El Quiché in the east, with Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango, and San Marcos to the south. The capital is the city of Huehuetenango.Huehuetenango's...
), close to the border with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The lake is fed by several streams and subterraneous watercourses.
The area around Laguna Brava has been inhabited by Mayan
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
communities of the Chuj
Chuj people
The Chuj are a Maya people in Guatemala and Mexico. Their indigenous language is also called Chuj and belongs to the Q'anjobalan–Chujean family of Mayan languages. In Guatemala, most Chuj live in the department of Huehuetenango in the municipalities of San Mateo Ixtatán and San Sebastián Coatán....
ethnicity since the 19th century. In the year 2000 a conflict over land usage emerged between indigenous communities depending on the land, and the American owners that just acquired it in order to transform it into a nature reserve.