Ready, Set, ALFOMBRA!!

Waking up early on Thursday morning, we were all pumped to get to work on the alfombra. We had one last bit of sawdust to dye hot pink, which we quickly finished up around breakfast. Milady had many conversations with the police and city maintenance workers in order to nail down a specific start time for when the road on the side of Casa Herrera would be closed. That road in particular is one of the main roads into Antigua from Guatemala City, meaning it wouldn't be closed until much later than we anticipated, at least that's what we were initially told...

While we were all trying to get things ready and some were about to leave for the market to kill some time, Milady rushed in at 10:30 AM and said we were able to get started! We frantically gathered up the materials and started carrying out everything from wooden planks to bags of sawdust. Milady and I talked out all the steps we would be going through with this alfombra making process, totaling to around 27 steps.

We started off by hosing down the area with some water and picking up any large trash that would interrupt our sawdust surface, followed by measuring out the 3m x 6m area. Using squeegies and brooms, we attempted to level out the raw sawdust to serve as the first layer for the colored sawdust. The v-shaped roads of Antigua made of cobblestones did not make the leveling process easy!

The array of tools was amazing, each having its own specific use: large and small mesh sifters for even sawdust coverage, cups for each color along with spoons for details, large and small mesh colanders for small areas needing colored sawdust, and an adapted fertilizer hose for gentle misting of water.

With our arch-topped rectangle mapped out, we measured and sifted the royal purple into the center area, free-handing the gradual arch. An essential step that became one the more fun jobs was  continuously wetting the sawdust. Of course, Thursday was one of the windiest days in Antigua, making the person with the hose invaluable. This job began with Liz but was quickly taken over by neighborhood children who had a little too much fun hosing everything down.

The middle section was the most intricate, needing many hands and diligent workers in order to effectively fill the stencils and carefully remove them. This section took the most time, even needing a three-hour warning in order to move onto other areas. Decision-making happened quickly with everything relying on the materials on hand and the amount of time left before the procession was scheduled to arrive.  The two quetzales section grew and changed, with Jessica adding branches and other laying flowers to fill the space. The octagonal rose window came together with a geometric arrangement of Birds of Paradise, organized by Katy. Volcano Agua emerged from a smooth sunset gradient along with a delicate shading across the side of the volcano, with Abby and I collaborating. White fluffy flower clouds wrapped and drifted in the space.

The border had the most hands working as well as the highest level of organization; everyone had their own color responsibility with each diamond labelled. SaraTess, Becca, Emily W, Dr. Bolin, Jessica, Abby, and Katy traveled around the border filling in the huipil-inspired pattern. Some of the stencils were altered on the spot in order to accommodate the arch. At each corner, we put an orange "X," referencing two longhorns and also the "X" in TEXAS. In the middle of the arch, an orange diamond with a piece of popcorn (Dr. Bolin's snack obsession) added to the top of the alfombra. With our extra white flowers, Liz systematically spaced them around the whole border, creating a rhythmic outline.

Thankfully, Kris, Emily W., and Becca traded off with documenting the process from start to finish.

After almost 7 hours, hundreds of conversations, and lots of sweat, we made our very first alfombra. From about 6:00 PM until 8:00, we anxiously awaited the procession and took a ton of photos. Members of the community and tourists alike were drawn to our alfombra, taking photos and starting conversations. Everyone loved the adorable quetzales with their lime green flower mohawks and bedazzled beaks!