12. Colorful Guatemalan Balls, 11. Cathedral Spot Lights Zooming, 10. Sunday Mornings Begin with Coffee and Online Newspapers, 09. The Ages of Coffee, 08. Vive tu vida y deja vivir, 07. Antigua’s Bright Red, 06. Antigua Fragments, 05. Typical Guatemalan Breakfast, 04. A Colonial Church Within My Fingers, 03. The Cucurucho and The Photographer, 02. … Read more
Guatemala’s a pyromaniac hell or paradise, what is it?
I remember reading earlier this year a tweet from Xeni Jardin, one of BoingBoing’s editors, that she was not impressed with the 4th of July fireworks display in unknown city in the U.S. because after having witnessed the non-stop burning of firecrackers, fireworks and every piece of a pyromaniac’s fetish in Central America she was spoiled.
I say that you have live it to believe Xeni’s declaration. In the meantime, I share with you two video clips of the fireworks burnt in one section of Guatemala. Remember, to get an idea of the magnitude of the burning of the fireworks, you have to multiply by 360° in every street of every colonia, village, town and city in Guatemala. So, if you decide to witness the burning of firecrackers and fireworks in Guatemala, make sure you bring earplugs; these are not included. 😉
These plastic balls are the most popular and thus the most often seen balls in Guatemala. They are very inexpensive and very disposable, sometimes only lasting one chamusca game. Chamusca is the Guatemalan-Spanish word for an informal football match. Often, all you need is a few friends, a dirt field and a colorful fútbol ball to build life-long relationships. Of course, these plastic balls are very dear to us since they are part of what defines us; they are part of our treasured memories.
As a photographer I was very excited when I saw these colorful balls hanging from the ceiling a shop recently. You know how much a love color and repetition.
I also love ephemerides and this morning we had the opportunity to witness one ephemerides which only happen every 486 years. That’s is a full Moon eclipse during the Winter solstice, which makes the longest night of the year even darker during the duration of the eclipse. I took some photos of the eclipse, but I did not stay out for the duration of it. However, my dear friend Nelo did and he’s sharing his photos of the full Moon eclipse sequence as seen from La Antigua Guatemala.
So here I am sharing a slide show about another ball, a different kind of round ball, one we can all identify with: The Moon.
Since yesterday night, December 15, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of La Antigua Guatemala. María and José are walking around Antigua Guatemala, knocking on people’s doors to ask for posada. Our eye witness reporter has been able to gather the following information regarding the quest for lodging:
Every home has a nativity scene and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (peregrinos), who have to request lodging by going house to house singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. All the pilgrims carry small lit candles in their hands, and four people carry small statues of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding. The head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lamp shade. At each house, the resident responds by refusing lodging (also in song), until the weary travelers reach the designated site for the party, where Mary and Joseph are finally recognized and allowed to enter. Once the “innkeepers” let them in, the group of guests come into the home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray (typically, the Rosary)… This according to Mrs. Wikipedia Enciclopedia de Quiensabe.
We will update you with new information as soon as our on-site reporters finish their ponche and tamales…
#$%&/()”!¡?¿… We just received this video feed from our diligent multimedia reporter Kara Andrade.
At the end of the mass service for the Feast of Out Lady of Guadalupe while I was trying to get out of the atrium my girlfriend, who was just outside the atrium’s barred fence, pointed out how captivating and alluring was the image of the Christ figure being put down from the cross and all the careful hands over its body. I turned around and walked a few steps to a get the photograph above. The imagery of the Christ and all the careful hands bring the body down was a more authentic enactment than the eucharistic celebration we had just attended. Perhaps that is so because I am visual person.
After reviewing the series of photographs, I don’t know why I associated the above image with the video of Losing My Religion from R.E.M.; perhaps you can help me find out why. I will be looking forward to your comments.
P.S. I was told by clergyman that this Christ figure was also used for the canonization of Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt on July 30, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, 2010 in La Antigua Guatemala began at midnight with firecrackers, firebombs and fireworks. It was unusual for the celebrations to begin so early and wit so much commotion in every village, town and city in Sacatepéquez. How strange, we thought. A few hours later, we … Read more
This year’s Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the best one I have covered in La Antigua Guatemala thus far. I took over 400 photographs and I believe I will have to split the religious event in three main days, which will coincide with the three themes for the celebrations of Feast of … Read more
La quema del diablo (Burning of the Devil) used to be this tradition, little known outside of Guatemala. I say “used to be” since the Burning of the Devil is now all over the Internet. I have a tiny share of responsibility because I’ve been promoting this tradition every year since 2006.
While glancing through all the different articles about the Burning of the Devil, I noticed that sometimes they have even quoted me directly in some of the articles or simply paraphrase some of the information I have published in the past. It’s good to know that AntiguaDailyPhoto is also a valuable source of information about Guatemala.
Here are some of the articles about the Burning of the Devil tradition:
The devil’s “will” is read: He leaves his greed to a wealthy local merchant and his manipulative skills to a prominent local politician, drawing hoots and guffaws from the crowd. Officials are rarely named, says Rudy Girón, an Antigua resident and editor of AntiguaDailyPhoto.com, but everyone knows whom the devil is talking about. “It’s humor-double-meaning speech making sure people know who’s being criticized without actually calling any names,” he says…
(Continue reading Run, Devil, Run by Michael Shapiro at American Way Magazine)
The tradition of burning the devil began in colonial times. In anticipation of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, those who could afford it adorned the fronts of their houses with lanterns. Eventually, the poor who could not afford such lanterns began gathering their garbage and would burn all of the year’s rubbish in front of their houses. Over time it was formalized and in addition to individual piles of garbage, communities started to burn The Devil to clear the way for Mary’s feast…
Guatemala has just celebrated a beloved tradition: la quema del diablo, the burning of the devil. Across the country, people lit bonfires and burned images of Satan as a way to symbolically cleanse their houses. The government thinks this custom has gone too far. NPR’s John Burnett sent this postcard from Guatemala City…
One tradition that certainly puts our spring cleaning to shame is Quema del Diablo, or the Burning of the Devil, which takes place every December in Guatemala. Guatemalans have long believed that the Devil lurks in the dark and dusty corners of the house and in garbage, so every year before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8), people sweep him out of their houses and chase him off by burning their household refuse in bonfires topped by effigies of the Devil.
Marimba bands and fireworks add to the festivities. Some of the biggest celebrations are in Antigua and Guatemala City.
In Ciudad Vieja, a Devil three stories high is set alight in the city square at the stroke of six. Quema del Diablo is just one of the 192 unusual happenings described in the Lonely Planet guide, “A Year of Festivals.”
Question: If La casa de Los Abuelitos has already a red lantern signaling that they sell tamales, then why on earth would they also put sign stating the obvious? Short answer: Because they are also selling tamales negros (black tamales), which are a delicacy and only available for Christmas season or for special occasions. Of … Read more
In February of 2009 I declared that soon enough there was going to Internet Access in Every Corner of Guatemala. Back then I also mentioned that there were closed to 7 million cellular lines, quoting a newspaper article. Also, I said that “Now the race is on to bring 3G Wireless Internet Access to the … Read more
You’re not dead until you’re forgotten I read somewhere or maybe I heard it. If it is a quote, can you tell me who the author is? Anyway, in Guatemala you often find crosses or even small niches crown with crosses along the sides of the roads or streets. Often these crosses are adorned with … Read more
I am still getting over a cold, so I was a bit hesitant to leave home for All Saints Day. However, since a friend reminded me to pick up some fiambre she saved for me, which tasted just like the one my Mom makes. So, anyway, I ended up doing a lot of driving just … Read more
Through October and November you can find many businesses using Guatemalan kites as decoration. Last year I showed you some colorful giant kites hanging from the ceiling at a local restaurant. This time I took a shot of the kites hanging above the entrance of another popular restaurant in La Antigua Guatemala. Kites are very … Read more
During one of the afternoon mass services I happened to be at the Cathedral. The visual fortune that Catholic church offers to its visitors is incredible. I am always impressed by it. However, as a Muslim person, I have to admit the fact that there are many things that I don’t really understand about Christianity; … Read more
Qué será, será… Alfred Hitchcock has to be one my favorite directors, along with Kubrick, and I often pay tribute to him with titles or double meaning sentences or phrases. As a matter of fact, often I pay tribute to all the artists who have influenced or touched me deeply with their art. I know … Read more
