Day of the Dead.... November 1st.
All over Guatemala, kites are closely associated with the Day of the Dead. At this time of the year, months of damp skies are swept clean by the dry northern winds. In a three-way meeting between traditional Maya religion, Christianity and a seasonal change, the kites soar freely into the air to deliver greetings to the spirits of deceased relatives and friends.
In the two towns of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez in the highlands of Guatemala, the most complex kites are elaborated upon for months, before being displayed publicly nearby the cemeteries during the Day of the Dead. Tiny pieces of colorful tissue paper have been glued together by natural ingredients such as yucca flour, lemon peel and water into a quilt-like picture, with either a cultural, political or religious message. The kite is built onto a bamboo frame that measures up to 15 feet in diameter.
This picture shows young men from Sumpango raising their kite, and the word muerte, or death, can be read from below.
