As part of the Day of the Dead photography workshop on November 1st, we shot two Mayan graveyards one Spanish cemetery; giant kites on display and flying, fiambre preparation with a family who have been doing for over 45 years; a special All Saints Day procession in Antigua Guatemala plus sawdust carpet-making process themed around … Read more
Visitors enjoy the giant kites on display at the cemetery of Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, a tradition which dates back more than 119 years. Most of the giant kites on display measure more than 20 meters across. This photograph was captured as part of my intensive Day of the Dead photo workshop. We had a full … Read more
A Mayan woman records a video of the raising the 17-meter giant kite with the theme: «Identidad», Identity, at the cemetery of Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, which was created by the cooperative “Jóvenes Pioneros” a 30-member group. This photograph was captured as part of my intensive Day of the Dead photo workshop. We had a full … Read more
In Guatemala Day of the Dead is a celebration that reunites the living with the dead. They say that you’re not dead until you’re forgotten. Well, in Guatemala you are remembered for much much longer as families set up a little shrine at home with your portrait, flowers and candles to always keep you present … Read more
We could argue that officially the kite flying season begins with the celebrations of All Saints Day and Day of the Dead on November 1st. Yet, kites start to show on tienditas and houses doorways such as shown here as early as the last week of September. The kite flying season coincides with los vientos … Read more
All Saints Day and Day of the Dead are the perfect occasion for large family gatherings in Guatemala. Families bring fiambre and other foods to spend time at the graveyards remembering family members who have buried there. Kids and adults fly kites to help the dead reunite with the living. For third consecutive year I … Read more
As I have mentioned many times before, the dry season is the best time to visit Guatemala. During the dry season we have so many festivities and events starting with Día de Muertos and ending with Semana Santa, Easter pues. Christmas season being right in the middle of the dry season provides so many events … Read more
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 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 … Read more
After spending a week at the emergency room of the IGSS hospital, the Devil is back a few broken bones, but ready for the Quema del Diablo this December 7th. He was vandalized by a couple unknown hombres malos the night of November 29th and was taken to the emergency room right away. Not in … Read more
As I have mentioned before in the archives, in Guatemala we celebrate Independence Day the entire month of September. Here’s a vista a school parade swirling through the streets of San Miguel Dueñas, a municipality near Antigua Guatemala, a week after September 15th, the actual date for Independence Day.
Corpus Christi celebrations mark the start of the town fairs of the villages of Antigua Guatemala and surrounding communities. Here’s a vista taken in the aldea of San Pedro Las Huertas, right before the entrance of the Corpus Christi procession into church.
How about a satirical parade about a procession? As I said before, in Antigua Guatemala the two most popular form of manifestation are parades and processions. Today I give both for the price of one with the first ever farcical parade in Antigua Guatemala organized by the students of Guatemala’s only public national university better … Read more
Here’s your illustrated Spanish words of the day: Noche Buena, literal good night, for Christmas Eve. Noche Buena is such an important celebration in Guatemala, the equivalent of Thanksgiving for people in the U.S.; in other words, a family feast with plenty of food and hugs and kisses. The Noche Buena feast starts around 6pm … Read more
When it comes to popular religious celebrations Guatemalan syncretism knows no limits. Watch these short video clips that include diablos, devils, moros y cristianos, moors and christians, beauty pageants, pre-Columbian monos and toritos, monkeys and bulls, school parade uniforms, animated/cartoon characters of a convite charade, and live marimba music. How about that for religious syncretism? … Read more
A few thousand people get together at Barrio de la Concepción in Antigua Guatemala at 6pm on December 7 for the burning the devil and the bad spirits in a cleansing ceremony through the purifying power of fire at the Quema del diablo celebration. For about 10 days the effigy of a female devil, alluring … Read more