Ancient Mayan death rituals and the unique celebration of Dia de Los Santos in Guatemala
People in Santiago Sacatepéquez, and Sumpango celebrate All Saints Day by creating elaborate kites to serve as beacons for the spirits of loved ones to locate their living family members.
On November 1st in Guatemala, giant colorful kites can be seen peppering the sky to help signal to the spirits of people’s loved ones where to locate them when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.
Ancient culture meets the modern world in the traditions of Dia de Los Santos (All Saints Day) and Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - October 31st - where people who celebrate believe it is disrespectful to mourn the dead and not keep them alive in memory and spirit. According to tradition, souls of the deceased can visit the living once a year for 24 hours, which is why people go through elaborate techniques to celebrate and honor their loved ones who have passed.
Bright and colorful celebratory garb for Dia de Los Muertos
In Santiago Sacatepéquez, and Sumpango, Guatemala, the tradition of making intricate, awe-inspiring kites is carried on by many. The construction of these kites takes 40 days, the first of which is commenced by the village’s unmarried men heading out to the coast at 4:00am to laboriously collect bamboo for the kite frames. Perhaps one of the most incredible aspects of the kites is that they are made almost entirely from materials found in nature. The glue is a special mixture from yucca flower, lemon peel, and water; the ropes are made of the maguey plant; the tails are made from woven natural fiber cloth.
Each kite is unique like a snowflake - the vibrant designs depict religious or folkloric themes and tell stories of particular significance to each creator. The day of the kite flying on Dia de Los Muertos, families get dressed up in colorful clothing and go to the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and spend the day picnicking, cleaning up and decorating the graves, flying kites, and honoring their passed family members.
Mayan-rooted traditional food connected to ancient death rituals
“X’pasha” is the Maya name for a special drink distilled from corn, milk, and spices that is placed on the graves of loved ones as an offering, which is akin to the ancient Maya culture of offering corn to loved ones in the afterlife. The ancient Maya believed corn to be a sacred object that represented life - maize was placed in the mouth of the deceased to represent rebirth and provide food in the afterlife.
The ancient Maya had elaborate death rituals to assure the proper passing on of the deceased. They revered death, and it was an integral part of their lives. When a typical Mayan citizen died their family and close friends would begin fasting and procuring goods. To which then they would hold an all-night vigil around the corpse and burn incense calling on their ancestors to watch over the new soul in its journey in the underworld.
A colorful Pan de Muerto
“Pan de Muertos” or “dead bread” is another common treat that is found on the alters of passed loved ones on Dia de Los Muertos. It is special baked bread that can have different ingredients on top such as raisins, frosting, or sugar.
Whether or not you are celebrating Dia de Los Muertos or Dia de Los Santos this year, it is interesting to learn how different cultures honor and continue the spirit of their passed loved ones. Perhaps we can all learn a lesson from the ancient and modern Mayan culture and remember to celebrate, not just mourn, our loved ones’ legacy.