During our recent stopover
in Guatemala we visited Antigua, the UNESCO World Heritage city. We were
introduced to a cultural representative of Mayan descent. Our guide told her I am an artist, so when we asked for suggestions of interesting cultural experiences
(other than Lake Atitlan, the Mayan pyramids and the ancient city of Antigua),
right away she mentioned the “Feria del
Barrilete Gigante”.
“It takes place some 15 kilometres north of Antigua, in
Sumpango and in Santiago Sacatepequez every November 1. (In the Western
tradition, All Saints Day, in Central America, it is the Dia de los Meurtos or Day of the Dead.
It’s a unique event where you see
very colourful, spherical kites. A
special way of remembering loved ones who have gone, and ancestors. Months of work go into the creation of the
kites, constructed from vibrantly-coloured tissue paper and glued onto bamboo
rods. Some of the kites are 3-4 metres in diameter.
People of Santiago Sacatepequez at tombs of loved ones
Segment of kite made from tissue paper - a "Mayan Kandinsky"
The images have a spiritual meaning with messages
the villagers send to the departed ones. It’s taken very seriously and although
most are adults, some even cry when their kite tumbles down, failing to deliver
its message.”
It takes a whole village
to build these kites. Men travel to the south coast of Guatemala to collect
canes for spars; wire and rope hold the kites together. Groups of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepequez residents collaborate to make each kite.
"The
standard-size 3 metre in diameter kite takes up to 15 people months to design, create,
and assemble, depending on how complicated the design is.
The kites serve as a means to communicate with the spirit of the deceased, while at the same time also operating as a filter – removing any bad vibes that might exist in the cemeteries and in the sky.” Houston Museum of Natural Science
Segment of a 'spirit kite', another example of how these Mayan creations evoke the work of Kandinsky
The kites serve as a means to communicate with the spirit of the deceased, while at the same time also operating as a filter – removing any bad vibes that might exist in the cemeteries and in the sky.” Houston Museum of Natural Science
Upwards to visit the spirits of the ancestors
While
families gather amongst the tombstones of their loved ones, high above the
cemeteries, dashing through the sky, are the gigantic kites with their messages
in vibrant colours.
Henri van Bentum
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