Flying kites with the dead (2)

It's difficult to describe the emotional impact of a 50-foot tall kite, constructed of nothing more than bamboo poles, rope, and a endless expanse of colored tissue paper.

Big? Pretty? Wow?

And just as your mind begins to wraps itself around this spectacular work of art... out of the corner of your eye... you spy one, two, three, four more!

And so you quickly walk towards the other multicolored masterpieces, careful not to trip over these immense dirt speed bumps that... are covered in flowers and... lined up row after row and... slowly it dawns on you that you are standing in a cemetery. Standing, in fact, on someone's earthen grave.

And a chill runs up and down your spine... and you can't help but wonder if that chill is the spirit of the person buried beneath, asking you to "kindly step off my stomach".

And you realize that this isn't a cemetery for the rich and famous of Guatemala, with manicured lawns and flowering trees and gothic, museum-like mausoleums. This is a simple cemetery in a mostly indigenous town. There are a few above-ground crypts, but the majority of graves are simple earthen mounds, many without markers. On this day, though, even the most humble burial place is adorned with wreaths, flowers, and marigold petals.

So you decide to stand still for a moment, and simply soak it all in:

children running from mound to mound laughing and playing,

ice cream vendors pushing their white carts and ringing their bells,

families having picnics at gravesites covered with tablecloths,

the smell of burning wood from the impromptu eateries at the cemetery entrance,

the distant cloud-capped mountains,

...and the kites. Everywhere, the kites.

The enormous kites: at the edge of the cemetery, each as detailed and as delicate as the lush sawdust carpets created during Semana Santa. Each fragile and elaborate kite, 5 stories tall, glows like a translucent mosaic. Serving, according to legend, to keep the bad spirits at bay... but also to transmit a message for today. The kites are covered in scenes that reflect the hopes and demands of the population: equal rights for women, respect for indigenous culture and beliefs, a decent educational system, rejections of violence and corruption, etc. Kites whose beauty soars, but which unfortunately will never leave the ground.

The tiny kites: flown by children and adults alike. These multicolored paper circles are lifted high by those who dash over the tombs and through the crowds hoping to catch the perfect breeze.

And finally, the most fun kites of all...

The medium-sized kites: Just right. 5 to 10 feet tall, and designed to have a fighting chance at flight. At any moment, and from any direction, one of these kites would suddenly lift into the air, pulled with gusto by a crew of four or five people. The kite would earn the "oohs" and "ahhs" of the crowd as it struggles to gain altitude.... and then enthusiastic applause as it soars into the sky, or laughing screams as it comes crashing back down to earth. (Often falling on the crowd itself!)

There is one final belief related to the flying of these marvelous kites. Tradition holds that these kites enable a connection between this world and the spirit world. I can believe that. After all, there's something to be said for a people that have so often (and so recently) been enveloped in tragedy and loss... and yet who can find pure joy, in a cemetery, remembering family members who have gone before them.

Even considering the elaborate designs and rainbow colors of the kites... that had to be the most beautiful sight I saw in Santiago Sacatepéquez!

Tags: Guatemala, Kites, Saints, Cemetery, Graveyard, Santiago

Posted by elcanche at November 3, 2005 10:32 PM