People typically think of Mexico when it comes to Dia de los Muertos, but the holiday is also widely celebrated in Guatemala, where I so happened to find myself during the spooky season.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated the first two days in November to honor dead loved ones. The first day is for the children that have passed on and the second day for the adults. Similar to Mexico, how the holiday is celebrated differs between towns/areas. I was in Antigua, where I got a good mix of modern and traditional. Our festivities actually started on Halloween where you’ll find lots of people dressed up in Halloween costumes either waiting in one of the many long lines to enter a bar or gathering in one of the parks. And although Catrina is known to be a Mexican character created for Dia de los Muertos, there were a decent number of people (outside of the group I celebrated with) dressed up in the costume while making their way to the next party.
The following day, we went to a nearby town for their giant kite festival, barilettas gigantes in Spanish. This particular festival was at a colorful cemetery made even more colorful with the flowers families had brought to decorate the tombs as well as the small, rainbow kites that peppered the sky.
It was like a cookout with lively music and plenty of food and drink vendors. The main attraction, however, were the giant kites. I can’t tell you their actual height. I’m not good at estimating distances, though, I’m sure those details are searchable somewhere. But what I can tell you is that the kites sure looked gigantic. They are each painted with a unique design and adorned with flags. Each one is hoisted upright by the help of many hands. One was so big that even after unloading some of the flags, they needed the help of extra pulleys.
The best view was found from climbing one of the several concrete blocks around the graves. A family was super kind to let us go up one to take it all in.
I find it so beautiful how participants of the holiday celebrate their past loved ones. Although, it is a part of many African traditions to celebrate the dead in similar ways, I grew up with a disconnect from my ancestors. My parents did not talk much to us about past relatives. The passing of my paternal grandparents these past couple years felt like my first experience of lost blood.
If the addage is true, that you are alive as long as you are remembered, then Dia de los Muertos is a dedication of families in being that life support. Lucky, for my grandparents they have a huge family to remember them, but this experience was definitely a reminder that it is an intentional act.
