Pech (paya) May 2026

The Pech trace their origins to the Chibchan-speaking peoples of South America, having migrated north into Central America thousands of years ago. Their traditional life is deeply tied to the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve , where they maintain a spiritual connection to the land and forests.

The Pech (traditionally known as ) are an Indigenous nation in northeastern Honduras whose history is a profound testament to resilience against centuries of displacement and cultural erosion. Settled primarily in the departments of Olancho, Colón, and Gracias a Dios, they call themselves Pech , meaning "people," a name that asserts their identity against the exonym "Paya," which they view as pejorative. Roots and Worldview Pech (Paya)

Their belief system center on a spherical universe supported by four beams, where human life exists on a middle plane between a subterranean world of ferocious animals and a seven-level sky of sun and fire. The Pech trace their origins to the Chibchan-speaking