Halloween Guatemalan Style

As many of you may know, in Guatemala Halloween is not really celebrated in the traditional sense like us Americans with trick or treating, costumes, pumpkins, and harvest festivals. Halloween or as referred to here, ‘The Day of the Dead’ is not something that is celebrated, but rather feared. It is the night of evil before ‘All Saints Day’. Although more and more the commercialized Halloween is making its way to Guatemala; in the small aldeas the traditional views are still held and practiced. This holiday is a mixture of Catholic and Mayan traditions expressed through festivals, processionals, and visits to freshly painted grave sites with food and gifts for the dead. Some even believe that if they don’t repaint the tombstones and leave food for the dead, then their dead family will fight with them or feel as if they are no longer remembered. The days surrounding this holiday the skies are filled with kites. As innocent as this may seem, our friend Flory just told us today that these are used to send messages to the dead. Once again, I am amazed by the fear that is such a part of the culture here. How reassuring for us, as Christians, to know that we won’t spend eternity in a grave, but rather with our Lord in heaven!

On a lighter note, we celebrated the night by coloring pumpkins, eating pan de muerte, and pumpkin pie! Marissa had a good time and is still talking about her 3 little pumpkins.