Since Guatemala is both a very religious and very celebration-prone country (refer to my previous comments about constant school cancellations), it will come as no surprise that the whole week before Easter is a huge national celebration. Some friends and I decided to take advantage of this time off work by spending the week in Antigua, where Semana Santa (Easter week) is celebrated extra-heavily. I didn’t have my camera on this trip (I lost it a while ago and haven’t gotten a new one, also why I haven’t updated in a while), so all of these pictures are stolen from my friends.
I couldn’t find the story behind these “alfombras”, since the only thing that comes up on Google when I search it is Antigua Guatemala during Semana Santa, but I know that they are common in all parts of the country for various religious holidays. But, the ones in Antigua right before Easter are the biggest and most intricate. We saw alfombras made with colored sawdust, fruits, vegetables, flowers, pine needles, and even bread.
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| Making the alfombras |
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| The famous arch of Antigua in the background |
The amazing thing about alfombras is that although they are so intricate and take so long to make, they are almost immediately destroyed by the religious processions which literally trample over them. This makes a little more sense when one considers the literal translation of alfombra – carpet. These processions took place at all hours of night and day during Holy Thurday and Good Friday, and were accompanied by I guess what you would call a marching band, dominated by (very loud) trumpets.
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| If it isn't obvious, these men are carrying this large wooden thing with (presumably) Jesus on it. Looks heavy! |
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| We snuck into the nicest hotel in Antigua for a little descanso |
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I wonder if alfombras have a connection to the clothing and palm branches the crowd threw on the ground as Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter? It mixes up the holidays, but it would be one explanation of why they would create something and then parade over it. Sometimes over the years holiday traditions get a little intermingled.
ReplyDeleteWendy, Intriguing possible explanation.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, Wonderful descriptions. These alfombras are gorgeous. They remind me, in concept, of the mandalas of the Tibetan monks -- painstakingly detailed, beautiful, and ephemeral. (As Wikipedia explains, "The construction process takes several days, and the mandala is destroyed shortly after its completion. This is done as a teaching tool and metaphor for impermanence.") And what a lovely word, "alfombra." I like "descanso" too: its meaning and its sound. Spanish is music to my ears.
I like that last picture, the one that was your idea. Full of texture and suggestion.
And what a fantastic picture of you in the red dress. You're radiant.