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Welcome to Antigua Guatemala's number one multimedia resource in English for everything about La Antigua and the Guatemalan culture and traditions with a brand new web page every day!
Who said New York is the only city that never sleeps?
The New Year celebrations is one of the occasions in which Antigua Guatemala does not sleep! I didn’t get much opportunity to take many photographs of the crowds, as it was indeed crowded. It was fun, activities all over, lights all over, people all over, every one having a great time, even the sky (check out the moon while the sun was rising).
In La Antigua Guatemala, religious celebrations draw together all kinds of heterogeneous people and the feast day of Virgen de Guadalupe is no exception. On December 12 celebrations of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, you can find gringa moms, indigenous mamás, ladino madres and white mamás all taking their children dressed with indigenous clothes to visit the altar of La Virgen Morena. In many cases you have grandmas and the whole family taking part of the visit to Virgin of Guadalupe inside Iglesia de La Merced.
Also, while taking the shots that you can see below in the slide show, as I was bombarded with the scents of pine needles, firecracker’s polvora (powder), tropical fruits, traditional Guatemalan Christmas foods, copal incense, candles, on and on. My sense of smell received a jolt and my memories were flowing nonstop. I believe that only for Semana Santa and Navidad I can experience life with a totally awaken sense of smell that brings on a hurricane of memories. Do you know what I mean?
All year long he hides under the bed or in the junk piled up in the corner, casting misfortune or worse on helpless mortals. But on Wednesday, December 7, at 6 p.m. sharp, the Devil gets his comeuppance, as he is tossed out of the house along with the trash and set ablaze in the Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil), a tradition in many Guatemalan towns that literally sparks the beginning of the Christmas Season.
The origins of the Quema del Diablo in Guatemala can be traced to colonial times, when the well-to-do adorned the fronts of their homes with elaborate lanterns on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, explains historian Miguel Álvarez Arévalo. Unable to afford lanterns, poor denizens instead lit bonfires made of kindling and the trash from their homes. The practice over time evolved into the Quema del Diablo. (Quoted from Juan Carlos Ordoñez’s article The Devil Gets His Due in Revue Magazine—click the link to continue reading the article.)
It occurred to me very late on December 7 that perhaps this year I should do a time-lapse video of the Quema del Diablo, Burning of the Devil. However, since I have never done a time lapse video, I had no idea how to do it. So, a slide show with a few photos of the climax of the Burning of the Devil will have to do this year. I promise, I will learn how to do time lapse videos as soon as possible and I will bring you some interesting videos pretty soon. Stay tune!
Please, take you time to let me know what you think of the slide show of the Burning of the Devil in Antigua Guatemala?
Roller skaters and skate-boarders using the Central Park is something you don’t see very often. There are plenty of skaters in La Antigua Guatemala, but they are not allowed to use Parque Central. The exception was made on December 1 as part of activities for Día mundial del sida (World Aids Day).
I also took advantage of the relax atmosphere I took quite a number of jumps. Check out the slide show. Enjoy! (more…)
Guatemala is such a colorful country; everything from flora to textiles, from architecture to food is saturated with the richest rainbow. If the entries from the last seven days weren’t proof enough, take a look at today’s colorful fiambre chapín.
Have you ever seen more colorful salad?
Here I present to you the fiambre creator from La Antigua Guatemala. Every first and second of November he withdraws the fiambre recipe that has delighted the taste buds of the most demanding fiambre connoisseur for over 27 years. From his unassuming Lo-Mix comedor set on 7a calle poniente No. 25B, he begins, like an artist, to paint the canvas with different shades of green lettuce, adding more colors, textures and flavors with each layer from a tasteful palette of over 40 ingredients.
Below you can find a slideshow with each step of the process of creating the colorful fiambre chapín. (more…)
Tuesday the 13th, a day of much superstition, was the day of the a fundraising event at JP’s Rumbar for the non-government organization Niños de Guatemala. Perhaps, many people thought of it as a very unlucky day, yet, no one that attended the activity thought so. It was crowded!
La Raíz played, candles lit the bar, and it was a lovely musical atmosphere. Moments later a dance of fire lit up the bar with an outstanding show. Laura McNamara was asked to be part of it, and little did we know, that even a lap dance of fire was in order. Nothing else, but just a dance of light, flashes popped in an effort to try to capture the dancer and the gorgeous volunteer. Some cameras perhaps worked, some perhaps didn’t. The music kept on playing. The fire left trails of light. Through the light smiles could be seen. I was sensing lots of a joy from all the people present.
It was a good cause, and JP’s Rumbar gave 33% of proceeds to NGO Niños de Guatemala.
Can anyone say that you can’t have a fun and joyful night and the same time help a good cause? ¡Sí se puede!
School bands and parades were the norm to celebrate Independence Day before the December 29 signing of The Guatemalan Peace Accords of 1996, which put an end to Guatemala’s 36-year civil war since the CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the democratic reformist government of Jacobo Arbenz in 1954 (read more…). School parades with their martial music bands were thought to be a remainder of the war and they were discontinued after the signing of the peace accords. This was the spark for the birth of another patriotic manifestation around Independence Day; and a very interesting one: Marathons. Of course, Guatemalans have a short memory and by the turn of the new Millennium student bands and parades were back, except now they were “free” to play any kind of music, from disco to cumbia.
On September 15th, at 6 p.m. all over main squares and central parks of Guatemala there is a civic act known as La arriada de la bandera (Haul down of the flag). The ceremony include several solemn activities like Juramento a la bandera (pledge alliance to the flag); Canto del Himno Nacional de Guatemala (Singing of the National Anthem) and a few speeches remembering the signing of the Independence Act and how many years has been thus far (187) since 1821.
In the picture above, you can appreciate the final moment of the lowering of the Guatemalan flag (far left) while students and the spectators position their right hand to salute the flag. This scene was capture at the small village of San Pedro Las Huertas.
With this final image we wave goodbye to September, Guatemala’s Independence month, and to the third consecutive year of the coverage of the Independence Day activities. In 2006, I focused on the marathons and the torches. In 2007, I covered the school parades. And in 2008, I have use the Guatemalan flag as the common thread. You can watch slide shows for each year to get a feel for what to expect and to compare three different photographic approaches for the same theme.
It is my hope that you have enjoyed the photos and explanations behind the celebration of independence in Guatemala. Please, let me know your opinions and thoughts; your feedback is greatly appreciated and expected.
You can watch a slide show of all the photos below:
L-R: Ronald Flores, Ana María Rodas, Javier Payeras, Julio Serrano, Francisco Alejandro Méndez
As I have shared with you, last Saturday I went to listen to the Guatemalan writers of the post-war in a dialogue they held about Contemporary Central American Literature. Those of us who attended were lucky enough to listen to the opinions and positions of Francisco Alejandro Méndez, Julio Serrano, Javier Payeras, Ana María Rodas, Ronald Flores, Allan Mills and Juan Pablo Dardón. Except for Ana María Rodas (the lady in the picture above) who belong to writers’ generation of 1960-1970, all the other Guatemalan writers and poets belong to the post-war period.
The Guatemalan civil war began after a successful overthrow of the freely-elected Guatemalan government by the CIA coup “Operantion PBSUCCESS” in 1954. The Peace Accords were signed by the end of December 1996, after the death and disappearance of more 200,000 people.
So, in the forum on Saturday there were two generations of Guatemalan writers, each with its own style and specific issues to write about. Ana María Rodas and Mario Roberto Morales belong to the war years and thus they find it very difficult to understand the very prolific post-war generation and the subject-matter they choose to write about.
I like reading both generations of writers, but I most definitely identify with the post-war writers and their disenchantment with the right and left wings and the war and its aftermath as a whole. Anyway, I do not want to bore you with all the details of the dialogue between the writers. Suffice it to say, it was a great evening and the dialogue continue afterwards in a local restaurant in Central Park. As to not bore you with all this dry writing, I prepared a mini photographic chronicle. If you click at the photos below, you can get more details and background information from the titles of the photos.
If you guys want me to write a little review about some of the Guatemalan writers of the post-war period and all their incredible novels and poetry, please, let me know. I will be more than happy to comply. In the mean time, if you can read Spanish, please visit the blog of Allan Mills to get an literary overview of the night.
Photographic Chronicle of the Diálogo sobre Literatura Centroamericana Contemporánea
Honest, I don’t mean to brag. But I have to say sometimes life can be pretty good in La Antigua Guatemala. Let me explain. In La Antigua Guatemala, sometimes you get access to free events like music concerts, photo exhibits, plays, paintings exhibitions, et-cetera. (more…)
Children also have a reading and play area at the Compañía de Jesús Library. This picture was taken early in the morning, before kids show up and fill the place with their happy noise and laughter.
I was glad to see a reading and play salon for the kids. Reading is a habit that should be acquired at the earliest age possible.
How to make a Guatemalan is a recipe that have eluded the brightest Guatemalan minds and puzzles many newly adopting parents of Guatemalan children. My friend Ale, if I may call her that, from Congo Days and Desde Kinshasa spends some her time writing about identity while she can tell the forest apart from the trees. She pointed us toward a French film which touches these issues; below her exact words:
While thinking about these issues I remembered a great film I saw almost two years ago that touched upon many of these subjects. Sandrine recommended it first and I loved the movie. It’s title in French is Va, vis et deviens (“Live and Become“) and it is a beautiful story that touches upon identity, race, religion, adoption, history and love from one child’s perspective.
I haven’t seen the film yet, but the title alone is hauntingly enough, for me, to make me want to see it. Live and become could be the short answer for those searching how to make a Guatemalan from a newly adopted baby. With that in mind, I leave you a short slide show and a video clip of the activities around the Guatemalan Independence Day.
I dedicate these photos, video and sounds to all my Guatemalan readers living abroad; may these vistas bring you home for a little while.
A finger marked with indelible ink is the proof you have voted in the Guatemalan General Elections. Above a marked finger in front of one of the voting centers in La Antigua Guatemala where elections progressed in a calm and quiet atmosphere.
People were pointed to their voting centers by a mailed slip with the information or by visiting one of citizens’ registration booths made available by the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (Electoral Supreme Tribunal). At the voting centers, people were oriented by the posters with table numbers and voting registration number (número de empadronamiento in Spanish). Once the voters had the right table, they walked to the queue and waiting their voting turn. At their turn, they approached the table where they had to show their cédulas (Identification card) and they were asked to repeat some of the information in their cédulas. Their voting registration number was checked against the logbooks provided by Tribunal Supremo Electoral. If all checked correctly, voters were given four ballots: One for city mayor, another for regional congress seats, another national congress seats and the last one for president and vice-president. With the four ballots and a crayon, voters walked to the voting booth and marked their election and walked back to the voting table to deposit their ballots in the urnas (ballot transparent bags). After that, voters had to sign the voting registration logbooks and their cédula was given back and their pointing finger marked with indelible ink. Basically, this is the voting process in Guatemala.
Children were also given the opportunity to simulate the election process by voting for president and vice-president. The children’s election process mimicked the adult voting process with similar ballot and erasable purple ink. Children between 5 and 17 years of age could participate. Children voting centers were located at different locations throughout La Antigua Guatemala.
I prepared a Flickr Slideshow of the Guatemalan Elections 2007 with keyframes showing the election process described above. Please, let me know what you think of it and if you believe I have done my job at giving you a feeling for the election process in La Antigua Guatemala. I will be waiting for your feedback.
Here is a short list of other blogs (in Spanish) that covered the Guatemalan Elections thanks to Blogschapines.com:
In 1492 the Spaniards came to the Americas and traded their tiny mirrors and beads for all the wealth available in gold, silver and precious metals and stones. The kings of Spain at the time never visited the “new” world. In 2007, today to be precise, the Kings of Spain, Don Juan Carlos (Charles) and Doña Sofía (Sophy) decided to pay a visit to the former colonies in the American continent. This time around the reyes, kings in Spanish, bring back some of the wealth in the form of economic aid for the third world/developing countries (poor countries: if you want to obviate the euphemisms) and they take back tiny mirrors and beads in the form of folk-art and handicrafts. Boy oh boy, what goes around, comes around.
According to the book 1491 by Charles C. Mann (related entries in AGDP), the saddest thing about the clash of the civilizations of Europe and the civilizations of the Americas was the loss more than 2,000 ways of being human. The three great empires, the Aztecs or Mexicas, the Maya and the Inca, and their cultures and knowledge pretty much vanished due warfare and disease. From the ashes and the aftermath of the greatest holocaust known to humanity (over 10 million people and counting) emerged what we now called Latin America. From the Spanish language the Spaniards left behind geysered Miguel Ángel Asturias, Gabriel García Marquéz, Rubén Darío, Juan Rulfo, Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortazar, Pablo Neruda and on and on to an endless list of Nobel-prize-winner novelists and poets.
On a personal note, this is the first time in my life that I am this close to kings and I hope that it will be the last. Adiós Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía, best wishes for your trip back to Spain and say hello to Dsole and Carmen, who are doing a wonderful job painting and photographing the life of Madrid. With the reyes came the first rains of 2007; I hope that is not a sign.
Here is a small Slide Show (9 photos) of the Kings of Spain visit to San Pedro Las Huertas, La Antigua Guatemala:
Here is a small video (1:38 minutes) of the Kings of Spain visit to San Pedro Las Huertas, La Antigua Guatemala:
You may have to come back to see the video as it is being held in moderation.
On November 1st and 2nd Guatemala, like many other catholic countries, celebrates the Day of the Dead (Día de los Difuntos) and the All Saints Day (Día de los Santos). The cemeteries, from the most exclusive to the most modest and humble, become overwhelmed with people bringing flowers, crosses, food and even music (sometimes Mariachi music) to their dead relatives.
Two days ago I told you about the Giant Kites (over 15 meters wide) that fill the skies over the cemeteries of Sacatepéquez to help guide the dead back to their love ones. Unfortunately it was not possible for me to go to the near-by towns that have them. So, I found a site that has a Photographic Tour of the Giant Kites (thanks to blog dumitraqui for the link). You will have to know four Spanish words to navigate the show: Entrar (enter), Siguiente (next), Anterior (previous) and Inicio (home). More photos of the Giant Kites can be found at Flickr.
Fiambre, a salad made from cold cuts, all kinds of meats, fish, vegetables and pickled vegetables, is served on November 1st, after a visit to the cemetery. Fiambre is a cold meal of Spanish origin, possibly from the Extremadura provinces in Spain. Fiambre is a very special meal for Guatemalans and it is only available on November 1st and 2nd. Because fiambre is an extremely rare and unique meal which can include over 50 ingredients, I decided to show you the final part of the preparation through a slide show.
The photos were taken a Lo-Mix Cafeteria, which is a small restaurant with over 35 years of making fiambre. Lo-Mix is chosen by many Antigüeños as their fiambre provider and we have bought our fiambre from them since 2002. The owners of Lo-Mix told me it takes them about 15 days of pre preparation to get to the stage you will see in the photos. For those who live in Antigua and want to know where buy good fiambre, Lo-Mix is on 7a calle poniente N. 25B and their telephone number is 5656-9417.
This slide show is dedicated to Ale from Arte-sano. Bon appetite mano!
Other sites that cover Día de Muertos, Fiambre and the Giant Kites:
I'm missing LAG! My wife and I married in La Antigua Guatemala in December 1983 and have always wanted a colonial home there. I check into your site at least once every day without fail....it keeps my dreams alive! —Hugo (El Canche)
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