Chichitas amarillas, yellow nipples or nipple fruit, or Chichitas de Esquipulas are two popular name for this organic Guatemalan decoration found around Christmas time. Chichitas amarillas are actually a medicinal plants. The scientific name for this fruit is Solanum mammosum L. Other common name in Guatemala is: chichigua. Solanum mammosum is commonly known as nipplefruit, fox … Read more
Here’s your illustrated Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Gallitos for air plants. Another popular organic Guatemalan Christmas Decoration are Gallitos. As I have mentioned in the past, air plants, are found everywhere in Guatemala, especially so around Antigua Guatemala because the large tree population surrounding our enchanting and colorful colonial town. Take a photographic … Read more
Here’s your illustrated Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Pashte for Spanish moss. One of the most important organic decorations for the Guatemalan Nativity scenes is the pashte; also known as paxtle, paste, pastle, or simply heno, which is the neutral Spanish word. Pashte is translated into English as Spanish moss; go figures. Take a … Read more
Let the nine days of posadas navideñas begin. Since this morning, December 15th, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of Antigua Guatemala. María and José have been walking around Antigua Guatemala, knocking on people’s doors to ask for posada. Our eye-witness photo-reporter has been able to gather … Read more
Did you know that nacimientos, pesebres or Nativity were first introduced to the American Continent through the city of Antigua Guatemala by Santo Hermano Pedro? To commemorate such unique event the niche of the Parroquía de Belén, Bethlehem parish, sports a Nativity scene with Santo Hermano Pedro in it. Check it out next time you … Read more
Here’s your illustrated Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Pascuas for Poinsettias. With each passing year, poinsettia growers develop new colors and patterns for the pascuas in addition to the traditional crimson poinsettias. Just look at the new colorful poinsettias available this Christmas season in the picture below.
The Christmas season in Antigua Guatemala begins with a cleansing pyromaniac ritual by burning the devil which represent all the negative feelings and vibes. As it happens every year, the creators of the Quema del Diablo, Burning of the Devil, in Barrio La Conception, take advantage of the burning by also making a political statement … Read more
I much prefer to have all the trees at Parque Central lit with Christmas lights than to have a Christmas tree somewhere around the park. How about you, what do you prefer?
Merry Christmas to y’all!
For today, I decided to shared a humble corn-husk Nacimiento, another popular style found in Guatemala.
You must watch the video tour and pictures included in this post to believe the complexity and size of this Nativity scene. Heck, they recreated most landmarks of Antigua Guatemala as part of this Nativity scene.
Gabriela Orozco García, 19 years old, puts the final touches on a figure of a Mayan-inspired Nativity scene. The Orozco García family from Antigua Guatemala are renown artisans who produce ceramic Nativity scenes with Mayan attires from all regions of Guatemala.
Posadas navideñas are small processions enacting the search for shelter of Joseph and Mary right before the birth of baby Jesus. Here I captured the start of the traditional posada of the Brotherhood of Jesús Nazareno of La Merced Church in Antigua Guatemala. Below I captured the posada as it passes by the Ermita del … Read more
The nacimiento or pesebre, Nativity scene, at the San Francisco El Grande church in Antigua Guatemala is even bigger than the one found at La Merced church. In iglesia de San Francisco El Grande they used the entire garden area parallel to the church to build different historic scenarios. The one shown above is the … Read more
The Nacimiento inside Iglesia La Merced is huge. I had to use a fisheye lens to capture most it and I still missed at least 25% of the Nativity scene. Click the link to watch a short video clip of this Nativity Scene.
Here’s a Maya-style Nativity scene found as decoration in one the popular hotels here in Antigua Guatemala. In fact, they had quite a few nacimientos, all different styles, just hanging near the large fountain. As I have mentioned before, “Nacimientos are Nativity scenes shrines set up to celebrate during the December until Navidad, Christmas pues. … Read more