There were a couple of guys waving incense in front of the doors. I don't like incense very much and it was really strong. Then when we got inside this guy asked if he could give us the 15 minute explanation/tour thing, so we did. It was really interesting; all the Mayan stuff was up the center of the church, and all the Catholic stuff was on the sides. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but I don't really know how to explain it. Basically the main Mayan thing I remember is that they have stone slabs all up the center aisle and the slabs have white candles and red & white rose petals on it. The candles are for the boys and the rose petals for the girls. There are 12 slabs and each one is for something different; the first half are for asking for things and the last half are for thanking. The ask and thank for things like children, family, health, safety, good crops, etc. One tradition he told us about is this thing they do when there is going to be a marriage. The Mayan witch doctor person, along with the bride, groom, a hen and a rooseter go up the mountain to do a little ritual. He (or she) pricks the ring fingers of the bride and groom, squeezes a few drops into a bowl and mixes it up. This is supposed to keep them together for eternity (like sealing?). Then he cuts the heads off the rooster and the hen and spreads/pours their blood around the groom (rooster) and bride (hen). I don't remember what that signified.
After we did the little tour thing we shopped! It was really really crowded, but there were so many stores and so much to look at. It was awesome!
One lady I was with wanted to buy some incense and they still weigh it like this:
I bought a lot of cool things, including a hammock that I have no place for yet. Someday.
On Friday a bunch of our group went to Tikal, but a few of us who stayed behind went horseback riding up a volcano! Probably one of the coolest things I have ever done, although I was a little saddle-sore for a few days afterward.
My horse (or mule, or whatever it is):
I was a little nervous.
I know it looks like I'm leaning, but the guy who took the picture just didn't know what he was doing I guess.
We were on the horses for an hour going up, and the whole way it felt like we were just on a mountain. It was just grass, trees and dirt. No lava yet. But then we got to a point where you have to leave the horses behind (with the guides) and hike up the lava on foot.
We got to see real lava flowing.
This stick burst into flames a few seconds after we threw it down there because of the heat. We could feel the heat rising up from the ground we were walking on.
And we roasted marshmallows! When the mallow's a-flamin'...(name that movie! Hint: I've quoted it on my blog before. I think.)
So that's pretty much the end of my Guatemala pictures. I had a great time and met a lot of really awesome people. It's definitely something I want to do again, whether I go with the same group or decide to go to another country with someone else. If anyone is itching to do this next summer, just let me know and I'll get you the contact info.
2 comments:
Wow, I am sure glad I didn't get married with those customs. I think if I were Mayan, I would be terrified of getting married. At least you didn't have to drink the blood or anything gross like that. Crazy! Go to another country to work in an orphanage has always been a dream of mine. You are so lucky!
Alma Chapter 11 explains the Nephite monetary system--the weights and measures used in the Central American markets today are the same.
Also, when you see the woven cloth making up the women's tops (huipil), it is the same as you read in the Book of Mormon that they became experts at weaving and dyeing beautiful threads. Going to a country like Guatemala is like going on a time machine backwards in time.
Great post!
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