Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
andelaboratedesigns.Preparationstypicallybeginsixweeksinadvance,inmid-
September,withteamsworkingmorehoursasthedeadlineforcompletiondraws
closer. Judges are on hand at the festival to name the best entries in a variety of
categories.
Kites under 20 feet in diameter are flown over the town cemetery later in the
dayandarebelievedtobeavehicleforspeakingwiththesoulsofdepartedloved
ones. The flying kites are representative of the floating spirits of the dead. Lar-
ger kites are only for show and typically carry a message or theme, sometimes
overtly political in nature. The weather is typically windy during this time of
year, with the surrounding hillsides still tinged with verdant hues thanks to the
recentlyendedrainyseason.Thecolorfulcemeterystructuresandthetypicalnat-
ive dress of the Mayan people cap off a Technicolor dream of a day.
The festival in Sumpango, the larger of the two towns, takes place in a broad
field adjacent to the cemetery. Santiago Sacatepéquez has a somewhat more
cramped setting, its cemetery being perched on the edge of a plateau and extend-
ing down a gently sloping hillside.
