kites, beautiful kites

Latin America does not celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving, although I did see a turkey in the market this evening. I remember, years ago, when we moved to Ohio, how surprised I was that July 24th wasn't celebrated. I laugh at the naivete and remember that it took just a moment to shift out of the Mormon mindset.

In Guatemala, however, Christmas decorations are put up in October. I love the different holidays here, and many of them have to do with some sort of political anniversary It is late evening of November 1st, The Day of the Dead, and we have been observing this holiday today with many thousands of people all over Central America. It is a fun, and yet tender holiday, and is much like our Memorial Day. Each country celebrates the day in a different way. Mexico, for example, has bright and colorful paper mache objects like masks, skeletons and other objects, small and large, but the purpose of the holiday is the same in Guatemala. This is a day to honor your deceased family. In all the countries families gather at the cemetaries and clean the graves, put up flowers and wreaths, and recount family histories. The smell of marigolds hovers in the air and the bright yellow flowers dot the landscape. In Guatemala, they do not have all the little dolls and bright folk art, but they do have kites.

We have been noticing kites for several weeks. We have been seeing kites displayed along highways on fences and gutters. Kites are sold in markets and I didn't know why as I had never seen them in markets before. This is the holiday for kites. Most of the kites have geometric designs in bright colors on them, but we've seen some with Mickey Mouse, Batman, and other comic characters. Children, everywhere, seem to be trying to get kites in the air. The people here are very serious about their kites. But, as in other countries in Latin America, it is a happy holiday.

I think the whole world was in San Lucas today.