Traditionally in Guatemala, on November 1st, loved ones visit the graves of those who have passed from this world into the next. They decorate their ancestors’ tombs with flowers and candles and eat fiambre (simply described as a traditional dish, served cold, containing a large and varied assortment of pickled vegetables and meats). It’s the Day of the Dead, and in Santiago Sacatepéquez, a town not far from Antigua, the skies fill with a myriad of colorful, handmade kites.
Preparation for the Day of the Dead celebration in Santiago Sacatepéquez begins forty days before November 1st, when young people form groups and begin the construction of the kites. Traditionally, young men did most of the work, but today young women also make kites. Together, they discuss and select themes for the intricately designed kites. Themes may be political, religious or cultural and often draw on events from national news.
All kite materials used are natural. The glue is made from yucca flour mixed with pieces of lemon peel and water. Ropes used for kite strings are made from maguey, the same plant from which tequila alcohol is extracted. The tails of the kites are made from woven cloth. The frames of the smaller kites are made by weaving the stalks of castilla, a plant similar to wheat, which is farmed near Santiago. And the largest kite frames are made from bamboo gathered on the coast.
Prior to the Day of the Dead, on the last Sunday in October, the people of Santiago have a competition to determine the best kite. Kites are judged based on their colors, construction, designs, and topics. The townspeople usually show the greatest appreciation for kites involving the most intricate and difficult details and favor themes from ancestral Maya culture.
On November 1st at 4 AM, the cemetery of Santiago Sacatepéquez begins to fill with families carrying floral wreaths and branches of flowers to the tombs of their deceased. While cleaning, repainting and adorning their family tombs, people chat with neighbors, fondly reminiscing about the deceased. They pray together by the tombs and share food with each other. Outside the cemetery, vendors sell special holiday treats and the ever-favorite atol de maíz (hot corn drink). The bells of the church chime to announce mass, and groups of young people, carrying kites as banners, begin arriving at the cemetery. They wait for a strong wind to raise their giant kites to the skies.
The tradition of flying kites in the cemeteries of Guatemala on the Day of the Dead dates back at least 111 years. During this special time of year, when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead is believed to be most porous, people attach hand-written messages to the tails of the kites. These messages are intended to reach the heavenly spirits when the kites ascend to the sky, letting them know that they are wanted and guiding them on their journey from heaven to earth. The kites test the winds and signal the spirits until four in the afternoon, when they are lowered and families gather at home to await the arrival of the souls.
At 4 AM on November 2nd, the townspeople begin moving back towards the cemetery with candles in their hands so the spirits who have been with them all night can return home. As the holiday winds down, smaller children demolish their kites as a signal to the spirits that their earthly visit is over and that they must now return to heaven. The giant kites, which have stayed in good shape, are raised to the air one final time. It is believed that the oldest spirits are the last to leave and the giant kites help lead them back to heaven. Later the kites are burned inside the cemetery in hope that the rising smoke will guide any vagabond spirits back to heaven.
