Guatemala 2018

Thursday1stNovember

Located 45 minutes from Antigua, Santiago Sacatepéquez becomes one of the most lively spots in the region every November 1st. And indeed, this day will undoubtedly be the most spectacular of the trip! Today, as in many countries around the world, Guatemala commemorates its dead, but here All Saints' Day is celebrated in a spectacular way. In some towns in the region, families gather in cemeteries for kite competitions!

It's not visible in this photo yet, but there's a crowd! It's not easy to find a parking spot, but we manage to do so for a few quetzals on the side of a road.

Here we are on the long main street leading to the cemetery. There's a buzz amidst all kinds of vendors who have taken over the sidewalks.

We already have a taste of what awaits us, in miniature models...

Vendors of all kinds follow one another and are all different. From sweet to savory, from meat to fish, from fruit to vegetable, you won't starve here!

The tortilla! This small corn flatbread is the Guatemalan bread! The ball of dough is vigorously tossed from one hand to the other to flatten the tortilla, then cooked on a large griddle heated by embers.

Many women still wear the traditional dress of the country: the huipil.
"The huipil is a traditional garment from Central America and Mexico. It is a kind of chasuble worn by women, for example Mayan women in Guatemala; it is adorned with shimmering embroideries that differ from one village to another. The embroidery motifs often have a symbolic meaning, of a religious or historical nature." © Wikipedia

The crowd increases considerably as we approach the cemetery...

Not sure if tequila is the best refreshing drink under this sun... 

Obviously, no dish without frijoles (black or red bean puree).

Here we are finally in the "Cementerio General" of Santiago Sacatepéquez. The vaults prevent us from having an overall view of the cemetery, but a few more meters and the incredible panorama unfolds before us...

The giant barriletes (kites in Spanish) are already set up on the western part of the cemetery overlooking the plain.

These kites are made by the town's inhabitants who wish to promote a neighborhood, an association, or simply to defend a cause. For months, volunteers work to build the fragile structure, much like we do for the floats in our festivals.

The tombs, with or without kites, are as colorful as they are flowery.

There's even a stage to liven up the day with music and a speaker...

Originally, kites were invited into the cemetery to materialize, for a day, a link between those who remained on earth and those who went to heaven.

Every inch is occupied... The tombs abandon their usual tranquility for the good humor of onlookers who came to witness the spectacle of the barriletes...

The mounds of earth even serve as small platforms to look a little further when searching for companions. But no worries, no disrespect here, the place has been put on hold for a day, the cemetery will regain its quietude later, the time is not for contemplation but for festivities.    

A day out with friends at the cemetery, nothing more normal on November 1st in Sacatepéquez!

Obviously, the kites are in the colors of the huipiles!

It's late morning, but not all the kites have been raised yet. Let's watch one of them being erected, to the sound of the insatiable speaker.

The bamboo structure, like the lead supporting cathedral stained glass, holds the paper rosette.

These kites are as impressive as they are fragile. They are just an assembly of paper sheets and glue!

The largest ones reach 20 meters!

The strong ropes lift the kites and then hold them upright.

On the left, this giant trunk serves as a lever to pull the kites. On the right, the sturdy crosses serve as moorings... Might as well use all the material available on site!

Here's a closer look at the raising of another fragile kite, this time to the rhythm of un, dos, tres...

The decor is taking shape. It is planned to raise about fifteen barriletes between 15 and 20 meters.

In this photo, 3 queens are hidden...  

The parallel with our festivals extends to the election of queens! Here from left to right, Miss "madrina de los barriletes" (godmother of the kites), Miss "Brisas del viento" (wind breezes) and Miss "reina de los barriletes gigantes" (queen of the giant kites)!

The moorings don't always seem to be the strongest...

Some acrobatics above the fragile papers to solidify the assembly before lifting.

The cemetery becomes a field of paper rosettes.

On the north wall of the cemetery, coffins are above ground behind cement slabs. The more recent, set-back graves seem isolated from the ambient hubbub, allowing some contemplation for grieving families.

And meanwhile, the grandmas enjoy a good ice cream in the shade of the barriletes!  

The most beautiful huipiles are out!

I may not have specified it, but at the risk of disappointing you, the giant kites will not fly, indeed they are made of paper and far too fragile! But on the other hand, drones and reasonably sized kites are free to occupy the sky!

I have a strong feeling this one easily exceeds 20 meters!  

Here are the candidates for real flights. Already of good size, it will take a lot of energy to get this kite off the ground and keep it in the sky! The smaller ones, generally piloted by children, are already soaring high above.

Noon approaches, and we decide to leave the cemetery to have lunch in one of the many restaurants bordering the main street.

This kite stands apart, preferring to stick to photo shoots away from the hubbub.

Across the street, web TV TVQ.TV is broadcasting live.

The street hasn't emptied since this morning...

And here's our lunch!

One morning wasn't enough for us! We're going back to immerse ourselves in these corridors of the afterlife...  

Am I dreaming or is a ladybug with a hammer waving at me on stage? Oh yes.  

The "huipil" barriletes.

And everyone blends into the scenery.

The day passes over the kites, some very fragile. The wind came to strip the bamboos of their pieces of paper, whose very impotent glue predicted the inevitable end from the beginning...

The youngest begin to get busy flying their kites, so small compared to the giants fixed on the ground, but immense when one imagines them rising into the air...

And yet they fly.
Not without effort.
Because you don't get there on the first try.
It's perseverance that lifts the paper circle.
The invectives to the rope.
And the wind too...  

The further they are, the higher they are, the more the difficulty increases. You have to keep the beast in perpetual reprieve. A weakening wind and it's a tumble, taking neighboring kites down with it, thus unleashing the wrath of their pilots...  

Come on! For this one, we have high hopes that it will take off quickly and effortlessly!  

Whoa! Tangle on the right!

No age limit to attend the show, where the best seats are not always on a chair!  

There, the blue sky is taking its bow, and so are we!

Back to the car via the main street, still as crowded! In an hour we'll be in Antigua where the end of the day will be just as amazing!...