15 de septiembre
On September 15, 1821, Guatemala declared their independence from Spain. On the days leading up to September 15, the town of San Pedro prepared for el desfile (the parade). Every day of the week, canons were being fired and school bands were practicing in the streets.
The festivities were kicked off by the youngest school children on September 12. They sang and danced as they marched through the cobblestone streets of San Pedro wearing the clothing of their grandparents.
The children of San Pedro marching through the streets to celebrate their independence from Spain.
Traditional dress is just one of the ways that residents in San Pedro carry forth their Mayan traditions. The clothing is made by local textile artists who hand spin cotton and embroider designs to create beautifully handcrafted clothing. On Independence Day, our host mom, Ana, kindly dressed me in traditional clothing for the festivities.
While visiting a local textile shop, we learned how to spin cotton and use plants to die fabrics.
We have a new appreciation for the time and talent required to make clothing.
Ana tightens the belt that holds up the skirt.
Ana and I at the parade.
Local high schoolers celebrate Independence Day by parading through the streets.
After the parade, we went up to the stadium to watch San Pedro’s second division soccer team take on their arch rivals, San Juan. The rivalry between the two teams has been become so heated that the visiting team is unable to attend the game. Despite San Juan fans living only a mile or two from the San Pedro stadium, they are forced to watch the game in bars that broadcast the local soccer games. We were happy to be able to experience the magic of the stadium and the diehard fans.
We took a tuk tuk up to the stadium with our friend Valario.
Words of wisdom in our tuk tuk… Today is a good day to smile.
The San Pedro stadium nestled up in the mountains.
September 15 was a good day.
