Why do you call chapines to the people from Guatemala?

Question

Why do you call chapines to the people from Guatemala?

Answer 1

I read the following answer in the Nacion newspaper in Costa Rica,  that doesn't make it true but it means that many people hold the opinion.  

The word comes from Chiapas because that region of Mexico was once part of the Spanish viceroy-ship and people from that region  of Central America were concidered from Chiapas.

Answer 2

Chapin is some kind of sandal Guatemalan indigenous people used to wear, so people from other countries started calling them that.  At first it was a racist name but then it just became part of the Guatemalan culture, so the joke's on them! haha.

Answer 3

I don't understand the question...Do you mean "why are Guatemalans called "chapines"?  Its what they call themselves. Just like in other countries, i just don't know what Belizeans call themselves.

Guatemala: Chapin

Nicaragua: Nica or Pinolero/a, Nicoya

Honduras: Catracho/a

Costa Rica: Tico

Panama: Pana (i think)

El Salvador: Guanaco or Salvatrucha

Answer 4

Guatemala call themselves chapines becuase is a name that expresses who they are

chapina- girl from guatemala

chapines-everyone in general

chapin-guy from guatemala

Answer 5

Hey, there is not any history about Chiapas and the word chapin, chiapas although it was of Guatemala now is of mexico. The word chapin really comes from the name of some shoes that they were in fashion in the 17 century, they were very uncomfortable, but they say that guatemalan people used them and when they traveled to other counties of Central America it was easy to identify the Guatemalans for those shoes, and with the result that they began to call us " CHAPINES ", and those shoes were not sandals, they were very luxurious shoes that only the high society could buy.

Here is a picture of the famous shoe:

http://bp2.blogger.com/_W4OyfhqW-mc/Rl_5...