semana santa

So it’s back to reality after a long week of vacation here in Honduras. Holy week is basically like spring break for most of central America. It’s blazing hot, and everyone either takes off for the beach, or possibly to visit family.

Of course, I’m no beach bunny, so I opted for a more culturally interesting kind of vacation…but people had a hard time figuring out why the gringas were not heading to the beach—I say, who wants to be there when it’s hot, crowded and more expensive?

So, for the first part of the week I ventured to La Tigra with my MCC friend (and Suyapa neighbor), Elise. La Tigra is the national park just above Tegucigalpa, high in the mountains, with beautiful views of the valleys below and some nice hiking options. I had not yet been to explore this important national treasure, so we decided to go this week in our free time.  The hike was a bit hot, and rather steep to start, but we had a nice time in the cool forest and enjoyed the waterfall tucked away in the mountain.

Elise had also scoped out a German bed and breakfast a few weeks earlier with her mom & aunt, so we decided to splurge and spend 1 night there. It was the perfect relaxing way to start vacation week! The little cabin was set in the hillside overlooking the valley below. Although simple, it was very clean, and we had the place to ourselves. The German proprietor even made us deep dish pizza for dinner and had a beautiful European style breakfast. It was so tasty!

On Wednesday, Elise and Allison and I left Tegucigalpa for Comayagua. We were not sure what we were getting ourselves into…we were invited to stay with the daughter of an old lady who sells mango at the elementary school where we work. We don’t even know her that well, nor her family; however, the call of an adventure piqued our interest.

There is a tradition during Holy Week in many parts of Central America (particularly Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) that involves brightly colored sawdust made into colorful, artistic “carpets” in the streets of town. After people have enjoyed their detail and beauty, catholic churches have processions through the carpets as part of their holy week tradition.

Comayagua is one of the oldest towns in Honduras (the former capital) and with its history and rich catholic tradition is said to be the best place in Honduras to see these carpets or “alfombras.”

Let’s just say the weekend turned out even better than we could have expected! The family hosting us was so hospitable and friendly. They took care of us from the moment we arrived and gave us a complete tour of Comayagua…churches, museums, early morning carpet-making and great food. We were blown away by their generosity and had a fun time getting to know another place in Honduras, while enjoying a cool tradition for Easter week.

Friday morning (or possibly even Thursday evening) groups of people start the labor-intensive work of creating these carpets. The day before they dye the sawdust with a powdered pigment to give it such rich and vibrant colors. Around 1 or 2 am people fill the streets of town and by the light of street lamps, head lamps, flashlights and even headlights, they are on their hands and knees laying out the design of the carpets. Some groups are from churches in town, others are family groups or even business. Most use some kind of stencil, made of paper or cardboard, along with many other tools to craft their sharp edges and elaborate artwork.

we were very tired @ 3am...

We got up at 2:15 am and were in the center of town by 3 am to watch people work. It was so cool to see the process from the beginning (though we were tired!). We walked almost the whole procession route (about 24 city blocks of carpets that all together measure more than 100 meters long) and saw some groups just getting started as others were adding detail to their designs.

We went back to the house around 5 and slept til about 8:30. We got up again to check out the local procession through the carpet our host’s church had made. From there, we went back down to the center of town to see the finished carpets in daylight. There were a mountain of tourists (including us :) but it was worth it. We tried to get pictures, but it doesn’t quite do it justice. Some of the carpets had ladders out so you could climb up and get a better ariel shot.

Here are some of our favorites! 

here you can see one of the stencils...later on you will see a photo of this completed carpet

here they are pouring the sawdust on top of a paper design

you can see the stencils in more detail

This one was right on the pavement. Every color you see is sawdust!

the finished product!

 

one of my favorites...

the family we stayed with

I hope everyone had a great holy week, remembering why it is we can rejoice in a risen Savior! Although I missed some of my favorite traditions of this time in the church calendar (lent, Maundy Thursday, sunrise service, church pot-luck brunch and Easter morning hymns) I was able to appreciate other ways of commemorating these important events. It was great to be part of some very old traditions, reflect on the suffering and pain that will always be part of this world, but then looking to the hope and joy we have of a resurrection morning.  Happy Easter to all of you!