SO MANY REASONS TO LOVE GUATEMALA
I'm writing from Antigua, Guatemala, where I am continuing to make my way
in Central America. I was fortunate to be in Uaxactun, the oldest and reputedly
most acurate astronomy site in the Maya world, for the spring equinox. It was
very magical to be in the ruins at night for the shamanic rituals and also the
reenactment of a Maya procession. The headdresses were very elaborate with
gorgeous feathers from the jungle birds, the stars beautiful and clear and the
candles on the steps of the observatory made the ancient stones glow. Also
there were about a hundred school kids to carry the Guatemalan flag. It was
quite a crowd for this northernmost town in Guatemala, home to chicle gatherers
a subsistence community living without electricity, and beautiful free horses
who graze in the ruins and the field which run through the middle of town. It
is usually one of the most peaceful places in Guatemala. The openess of the
children there is in incredible contrast to meeting kids who have grown up with
tv and computers. Not surprisingly, the children play together almost all the
time. Unfortunately, on the morn of the equinox the sky was overcast, so it was
not possible to see the path of the sun over the monument to the equinox. There
were however a group of shamans performing the rites of the equinox at the base
of the observatory, so there was plenty of celebration.
I'm writing from Antigua, Guatemala, where I am continuing to make my way
in Central America. I was fortunate to be in Uaxactun, the oldest and reputedly
most acurate astronomy site in the Maya world, for the spring equinox. It was
very magical to be in the ruins at night for the shamanic rituals and also the
reenactment of a Maya procession. The headdresses were very elaborate with
gorgeous feathers from the jungle birds, the stars beautiful and clear and the
candles on the steps of the observatory made the ancient stones glow. Also
there were about a hundred school kids to carry the Guatemalan flag. It was
quite a crowd for this northernmost town in Guatemala, home to chicle gatherers
a subsistence community living without electricity, and beautiful free horses
who graze in the ruins and the field which run through the middle of town. It
is usually one of the most peaceful places in Guatemala. The openess of the
children there is in incredible contrast to meeting kids who have grown up with
tv and computers. Not surprisingly, the children play together almost all the
time. Unfortunately, on the morn of the equinox the sky was overcast, so it was
not possible to see the path of the sun over the monument to the equinox. There
were however a group of shamans performing the rites of the equinox at the base
of the observatory, so there was plenty of celebration.
RSS Feed
