Among the 9 ethnic groups in Honduras, the Pech or also known as Payas, are an indigenous group that has been living in Honduras for over 3000 years.
Some of their origins
Their origins are not well defined, it is believed that they come from South America and their origin is Chibcha. They used to live in small villages near streams; today, their communities are located in the departments of Colón, in Las Marías, in Gracias a Dios, and in Subirana.
They are engaged in agriculture, specifically cultivating corn, cassava, and beans. They also grow cotton, and the women make ropes, hammocks, and bags. Hunting and fishing are part of their subsistence.
As seen in many countries, cuisine is related to specific events, sometimes historic or religious.
Life for the Pech
For the Pech, birth and death are very important. Three days after a person's death, relatives hold a celebration, and on the 9th day, another. The same occurs with the birth of a child.
Annually, the main commemorative feast for the dead, called "Katik-Ka," is celebrated, with dances, music, food, and the traditional drink "munia," a cassava-based liquor.
Munia is prepared by women, who mash the cassava in a mortar after peeling it, taking a small amount and chewing it until it becomes a paste, which they then mix with the rest of the ground cassava. This saliva ferments the entire cassava dough, which they cover with leaves of bijao and leave to ferment for three days. They prepare muzu, a fermented maize porridge, in the same way.
One of the main foods of the Pech is cassava; they make tamales such as sasal. This ceremony aims to ensure that the soul of the deceased travels to the other world without disturbance.
