The first domesticated breed of sheep in the Americas, Churra, was brought over by Spanish conquistadors around 1493. The introduction of the Churra breed was an important part of the culture and economy of Spanish settlers. Soon, the native communities adopted the Churra breed and it too became an important part of their way of life and spirituality. Fast forward 527 years, Churra sheep settled, evolved and adapted in Central and South America and became what we now know as the Criollo sheep.  In the highlands of Guatemala the Criollo sheep are an important part of the indigenous economy.