Carpets and Processions

Antigua is not the only place for Semana Santa festivities. Nahualá, just 15 minutes away had both alfombras; carpets, and processions on a local scale. 

Communities and groups come from all around to make alfombras. Most are made from dyed sawdust. Here, a community from the lake makes their mark in Nahualá. 

The alfombras are laid on the route the procession will take. In Nahualá, the procession left from the church in the plaza and circled town. There were carpets nearly the entire route.

This alfombra was made by a youth group. They used dyed sawdust for the base and adorned it with fresh flowers and fresh seed pods.

Here is a natural alfombra made from flower pedals, pine needles and palm leaves. 

Notice the two youths on the left hand side. They both have a board on post. On the post where the board is attached there is a ribbed section, and when the board swings around the ribbed section; as one might imagine, it makes a loud clicking noise. Somehow, this has become the traditional music of Semana Santa. Men, youth, children have these in all shapes and sizes. All wear a look of pride on their face as they swing the boards; some quite large, over their heads, swinging their hips to help with the momentum. Crowds gather around, just to listen to the noise.  At one point there were probably twenty men with these boards gathered in the plaza making a nearly deafening noise. From the plaza, these men entered the streets to lead the procession.

This was the lead man of three carrying loud speakers that played processional music. Behind the last man was a man with a wheelbarrow carrying a generator. 

The procession was made up of local members of the Catholic church, walking together through the streets...

During the civil war here in Guate, the Mayan culture was oppressed greatly. As a result Mayan beliefs were integrated into the Catholic churches and its practices. This tradition still carries on even though there is now freedom of religious practice. Here, Christ is carried on a bed surrounded by Mayan symbols. On the front of this bed there is a Mayan prayer. Behind him are small figures depicting a Mayan ceremony.  Christ is even dressed in traditional suit. 

The priests as well wear the traditional suit of the region. 

The tail end; the procession making its way through the streets.