The Wonder of Samana Santa / Holy Week

Latin America knows how to party. They always go big and Easter is no excpetion. People get time off to spend on street corners or at the beach relaxing with friends and family. Church is also a big part of it. We'd been given warnings before we left Mexico about its' importance and failed to head them, not reserving anything. It turned out well that we had the opportunity to tour with Julio. We've gotten the best of both worlds, experiencing the festivities in Godinez, a small rural village and in Panajachel where they have more money to invest in the celebrations. The usually reserved indigenous people are transformed, vividly displaying their emotions for the events that are at hand.


We arrived in Pana at about 11:30 as they were finishing the first procession. Church goers take to the streets, some of them carrying platforms that display replicas of Jesus adorned with flowers at different stages of the Crucifixion and the events surronding it. People walk to the music of a band. Incense thickly clouds the air. Along the route alfombras or carpets decorate the streets. Coloured saw dust and flower petals lie in beautiful arrangements of pictures or designs. What takes hours of work is destroyed as the procession walks through it. Ending at the church the image of Jesus was hung on the cross. The detail was chilling, particularly when a nail was placed into his hand and it took a lot of force to get it into place. Though there is alot of ritual and symbolism from Catholic church that I don't understand, partaking in an event that is more than just listening helps me appreciate better what Jesus went through.

On our way to find lunch we discovered the jack pot. The street was blocked off and groups of people or families were hard at work making the carpets. As we watched and wandered they displays were all at different stages. It begins with chalking out the basic outlines. They are then filled with with the appropriate colour and substance (charcoal, seeds, petals, flowers, fruit, pine needles, sawdust.) Sometimes a stencil is used. Water is sprayed in some spots to ensure it sticks, preserve the flowers a little longer in the hot sun or to blend colours. People of all ages were helping out. The work is barely finished before it gets trampled.

As it was Good Friday the second procession was a somber event, commemerating Jesus death. The men that held the immense platform with Jesus were all dressed in black suits. The music was sad and dreary. Some people tearful. The mood was noticably different than the morning.

When we arrived back in Godinez the was a much smaller and simpler procession that was gathering around town. The carpets were mainly made with pine needles with fruit and veggies beign what they used as decorations. The music was much better though.

Sunday we went to church in the monring in Godinez. It was simple and long, but good to be there.

Semana Santa