During one of our lectures with Elizabeth Bell, the local tour guide and Guatemalan Holy Week virtuoso, she shared with us photographs and memories of her personal experiences with the spiritual and cultural proceedings of "Semana Santa." A local since the 1960's, Bell has seen generations of alfombra-making and processions through the streets of Antigua. While each year brings something new and exciting, a few emotional events stuck out for Bell which she called "Semana Santa Moments." I don't want to put words in her mouth or others', but what I perceived she was talking about were the moments of overwhelming and sometimes unexplainable emotions that rush through your mind and body when something spectacular and moving strikes you. It's a subliminal feeling that you have just witnessed a sight or a sensation which could bring you to tears, happy or sad, with no prior warning; or leave you with an unforgettable memory that will bring a smile to your face wherever and whenever you are reminded of it. Some people may share similar times of these emotions, but for different reasons. Others may have extremely personal connections with their "Semana Santa Moment." Either way, it's an individual instance that transcends time and logic, and leaves you with something that will stick with you for a lifetime.
My "Semana Santa Moment" happened in the middle of the week, in the middle of the day, while standing out on the extra large window sills of Casa Herrera. We had heard that there weren't supposed to be any processions on this day, but when I learned that in fact there was and it was the children's procession, I knew I couldn't miss it. Just as the elder men and women of the community carry large andas with elaborate scenes, so do the boys and girls - just on a much smaller scale. While the anda was less substantial in size, it appeared that the children were still carrying a proportionally similar amount of weight on their shoulders as they processed through the streets of Antigua. As the sun poured through the window bars, the sights were all the same: clouds of incense, alfombras (although significantly sparse), purple robes for the boys, white and black formal wear for the girls, drums, the anda, people lining both sides of the street, marching bands, and the routine switching of the carriers organized also by height. The group of young carriers that passed Casa Herrera that day ranged in age, but had to be no older than 13 years old - barely teenagers. Some of the smaller children were accompanied by their parents at their side, who were providing support whenever it was called for. And like their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts who may have also volunteered to participate, they were carrying more than just hand carved wood, painted styrofoam, and life-like biblical characters. On their shoulders rested a tradition more than ten times their age, with a heavy, heavy significance that might not even be realized by the young children yet. The looks on their faces showed the same agony and pride of their older counterparts as they swayed back and forth, slowly marching to the beat of the band, honoring their religion. These Guatemalan children are the future of "Semana Santa" and centuries worth of sacred practices rely on their continuing and embracing of their familial and spiritual culture. As this occurred to me, tears ran down my face; goosebumps overtook my skin; my knees felt a bit weak. I'm not sure that a word exists in the English language to describe what I was experiencing, but to reduce it to a word would be an injustice anyway. I had never before seen a phenomenon so rich with history and so ripe with emotion - and they were so young and little! Children have so much courage and promise for the future, and this moment reminded me of that. I will never forget that moment, as it was life changing and reaffirming at the same time: I cannot wait to be a teacher :)
Thank you Emily W. for the pictures.
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