Biography
Sara Curruchich
Mayan Kaqchikel singer and songwriter
Sara Curruchich was born in 1993 in San Juan Comalapa, Chimaltenango, in a Mayan Kaqchikel community, in the central highlands of Guatemala. Her people have a long tradition of art and knowledge, as well as a history of resistance and struggle. Her music is thus born from her people’s collective and individual feelings, history, memory, culture, languages and struggles, as well as her own, personal stance as an artist.
Sara Curruchich is the first indigenous Guatemalan singer and songwriter to sing in Kaqchikel (her mother tongue), as well as Spanish, for an international audience. Her voice and message of love, awareness, respect and defense of life in all its forms, have led many people to regard her as a beacon of light and hope.


Since she began her career as a singer and songwriter in San Juan Comalapa, Sara Curruchich has taken her message to some of Guatemala’s remotest communities, performing in rural communities, as well as well-known theaters and venues. She is also a cultural manager and teaches music workshops in grassroots communities throughout Guatemala.
Her music blends various genres such as rock, folk and traditional Mayan Kaqchikel music. Sara’s strong commitment to historical memory has earned her recognition, not only in the world of art and music, but also in various arenas for debate at a community level. To this day, she has performed in major venues in South America, Central America, North America and Europe.
In March 2020, Sara Curruchich performed in Mexico City’s Zócalo, during the Tiempo de Mujeres Festival, held as part of International Women’s Day, alongside singer/songwriters Ana Tijoux and Mon Laferte.
Sara is a force to be reckoned with, not only in the world of music but also as a passionate advocate for women’s rights. Through her powerful lyrics and activism, she has brought attention to the injustices faced by indigenous women and spoken out against gender-based violence and discrimination.
As an ambassador for the HeForShe movement with UN Women Guatemala, Sara has traveled to remote areas of the country to use her voice and platform to raise awareness about these critical issues. Her impact has been recognized not only in Guatemala but also internationally. In 2021, she made history by becoming the first recipient of the MIAW Transformer Award at the MTV Millennial Awards in Mexico City, cementing her place as a powerful force for change and equality.
Sara’s music is a celebration of indigenous women worldwide, and her album “Mujer Indígena” is a testament to that. With powerful messages and cultural beats, the album features collaborations with renowned artists such as Rosalina Tuyuc, Carmen Cúmez, Lila Downs, Muerdo, and Amparo Sánchez.
In 2022, Sara’s “Mujer Indígena” tour took her to 10 countries where she performed in 55 concerts, captivating audiences with her music and message. The year 2023 started with a bang for Sara as she performed at the opening ceremony of the Folk Music Awards in Kansas, USA. She also participated in the Folk Alliance International in February and was selected to perform at the official showcases at the SXSW Festival in Austin, USA in March, cementing her reputation as a rising star in the music industry.


In the summer of 2023, Sara will embark on her first tour in the USA and Canada, captivating an ever-growing audience and connecting with more Indigenous brothers and sisters in these new territories.
What’s coming for 2023
Expansion of the “Mujer Indígena” tour and new projects.
Following the success of her 2022 tour, Sara Curruchich has announced over 20 additional dates in the United States, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Spain, France, South Africa and Canada.
In early 2023, Sara kicked off the year by performing at the prestigious Folk Music Awards in Kansas, USA. She then went on to participate in the Folk Alliance International in February and the SXSW Festival in Austin, USA, in March, where she was selected as an artist for the official showcases. Her performance at SXSW received rave reviews, with one attendee describing it as “easily one of the best shows I’ve seen in the last decade.” Another critic praised Sara as one of their favorite acts and highlighted the exceptional marimba playing by one of her band members. Sara’s cultural responsibility was also recognized, as she gracefully and fiercely presented her music.
Throughout the year, Sara will share new acoustic versions of her greatest hits with her audience. She will release live sessions featuring Carmen María Vega (France) and Vivir Quintana (Mexico), showcasing themes that support and empower women’s struggles. Additionally, Sara will dedicate a portion of the year to supporting and nurturing emerging indigenous talents.


Highlights of her career
- Official showcase at Indigenous Music Summit (Toronto, Canada), May 2023
- Official showcases at Folk Alliance (Kansas City) and SXSW (Austin) in 2023
- Top 5 “Creative Woman in Central America” by Forbes Magazine, December 2022
- Nominated for “International Artist” at the Independent Music Awards in Spain, April 2022
- National Human Rights Award winner, December 2021
- August 9, 2021: Sara launches the song Pueblos, featuring her mentor, Lila Downs.
- July 2021: Sara receives the MTV MIAW Transform Award for her artistic and social work in favor of gender equality.
- 2019: The documentary “Desde Nuestro Muxu’x” (From our Navel), produced by SarapeFilms, obtains the Award of Merit in the U.S.
- 2018: Sara becomes the first indigenous Guatemalan artist to perform in the Musicalarue Festival in Luxey, France, and in the Esperanzah es Muher (Hope is a Woman) Festival, in Barcelona.
- 2017: Sara wins the New Artist of the Year Award, at the Estela Awards, in Guatemala.
Awards or Prizes the artist has received
- The documentary “Qach’alal” (produced by AJWitness), which features a soundtrack composed by Sara Curruchich, has been awarded the Best Environmental/Social/Political/Justice at LANAFF in May 2023.
- Sara Curruchich has been nominated for Best International Artist at the XIV edition of the Independent Music Awards of Spain, held in April 2022.
-
She is the winner of the National Human Rights Award, presented by the Ombudsman of Guatemala, Mr. Jordan Rodas, on December 10, 2021.
-
The song “Todo tiene un corazón” from the project “Cantemos en casa” produced by We Could Be Music, has won the Children’s Album of the Year at the Premios de la Música de Costa Rica in November 2021.
-
Sara Curruchich was honored with the MTV MIAW Transforma Award for her artistic and social work in favor of gender equality in July 2021.
- She serves as the National Ambassador of the HeForShe campaign by UN Women since November 2019.
- Sara’s documentary “Desde Nuestro Muxu’x” (From our Navel), produced by SarapeFilms, has received multiple awards including:
– Best Indigenous Short Film at FIAC, San Cristobal in July 2019.
– Award of Merit in the United States in September 2019.
– Best Documentary Short Film at the fifth edition of the International Active Nonviolence Film Festival (FICNOVA) in October 2020. - In 2017, she was honored with the Revelation Artist of the Year Award at the Estela Awards in Guatemala.
- She was also recognized with the Gisella Paz y Paz y Jorge Rosal Award in Guatemala in 2016.
- In 2015, Sara received the Revelation Artist Award from the Dante Alighieri Foundation in Guatemala.
