Convite Costume Dance from San Pedro Las Huertas for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Convites are a very unusual kind of parade from Guatemala. The most famous convites are from Ciudad Vieja, Sumpango, El Tejar, Villa Nueva, but there are convites en many places in Sacatepequez and the entire country, for that matter. Convites started as sort of announcement parades for religious festivities and civic activities in some municipalities of Guatemala. In recent times, convites have morphed into costume dances as well.

As you can see in the images and video shared here, the costumes and masks represent different characters and amalgamations of popular mass figures from film, television or even cartoons from Western cultures and some times mythological effigies from pre-Columbian times. This is why everywhere you go watch a convite, it will be different. Convites also change from year to year, always representing what’s in fashion.

Convites are such an interesting cultural manifestation which show clearly the psyche of the Guatemalan people in general, don’t you think? What are your thoughts regarding convites.

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