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Every 1st of November, Guatemalans celebrate Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) also called Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in some parts of Latin America.
Día de Todos los Santos is a very special and sacred holiday in Guatemala. It's a day to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed away. In Guatemala, families traditionally visit cemeteries and reunite at the graves of their loved ones. They tend to the graves, taking time to decorate them with beautiful flowers, palms, pine needles and wreaths. Families will also share a meal together in the cemetery - typically it's the favorite meal of their loved one. November 1st is also the only day of the year that the traditional Guatemalan dish fiambre [fee-om-brey] is served. Fiambre is a salad that is served cold and it can be made up of over 50 ingredients. (If you ever have the opportunity to try fiambre, we encourage you to give it a shot!)

November also marks the appearance of winds that are characteristic of the new season. These winds create perfect conditions for kite flying. Indigenous people have used kites to communicate and unite with their deceased loved ones, a tradition dating back more than 3,000 years. According to the elders, the impact of the wind against the kites also takes away bad spirits. If you visit Guatemala near Día de Todos los Santos, you will see kites for sale on almost every street corner, children flying kites, and people making kites.
The kites that you see this day are masterpieces built by the local communities throughout the year.
One of the most stunning displays of this tradition can be seen in the towns of Sumpango and Santiago. There, people spend months and sometimes all year creating larger-than-life barriletes gigantes ( giant kites). These kites can be several stories tall. Many are circular but some are more elaborate, taking the shape of a peacock, owl, or butterfly. They are all created from tissue paper or rice paper and bamboo so that, even though they are large, they can be flown when the wind permits. Often, the kites display important social messages regarding the environment, women's rights, and protecting children.

The kites flown in Sumpango are an expression of collective art created by members of the community. The design of each kite, and all of the details found within, has meaning. The kites are pieces of art that represent a sense of identity.

In Sumpango, the local people also compete to see who has the most beautiful kite and which kite flies the longest. Called El Festival de Barriletes Gigantes, this special day in Sumpango is one of the most visited events in this region of Guatemala. The vibrant colors and immensity of the kites, paired with the beautiful tradition of honoring deceased loved ones, draws people from all over the world.
Experiencing cultural traditions deepens your appreciation.
Every culture, community, and individual has their own way of paying respect to the deceased. In some Western societies, it is a somber affair marked by mourning. But in Guatemala, Día de Todos los Santos is a festive, joyous occasion rooted in tradition. If you are visiting Guatemala during this time, the celebrations in Sumpango and Santiago are a must-see. Only by visiting in-person can you truly appreciate the incredible detail found in these elaborate kites and the meaning behind this special holiday.

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Every 1st of November, Guatemalans celebrate Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) also called Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in some parts of Latin America. Día de Todos los Santos is a very special and sacred holiday in Guatemala.

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Baile de los Barriletes - Dance of the Kites 2

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Smoke swirls around one of Guatemala's many volcanoes.

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Guatemala

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Democratic Republic

CAPITAL: Guatemala City

POPULATION: 16,581,273

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Spanish

MONEY: Quetzal

AREA: 42,043 square miles (108,890 square kilometers)

Guatemala is a country of volcanoes, mountains, and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. From the Cuchamatán Mountains in the western highlands, to the coastlines on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, this small country is marked by contrasts. Three of Guatemala's 30 volcanoes are still active.

Pacaya volcano located near Guatemala City is the most active volcano. Lake Atitlan formed when a volcano exploded over 84,000 years ago and collapsed to form a caldera. The lake is the deepest lake in Central America and is believed to be 900 feet (300 meters) deep and covers 48 square miles (125 square kilometers).

Only slightly larger than the U.S. state of Tennessee, Guatemala is a mountainous country with one-third of the population living in cool highland villages. The coastal lowlands are warm and humid. The country is bordered by Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize.
Map created by National Geographic Maps

PEOPLE & CULTURE

The Maya civilization was very advanced in math and astronomy. The Maya probably developed the concept of zero and left written records using hieroglyphics and whole words.

While historians are not sure why the Maya Empire collapsed, the Maya society began to shrink in the 10th century and split into separate groups. They may have suffered from overpopulation and the effects of drought.

Maya women continue to weave brightly colored cloth and fashion the same traje, or suit, that their ancestors wore. More than half of the population is indigenous. The largest of the 20 Maya groups, the Quiché, live near the city of Quetzaltenango, called Xela (SHEH-la) by the locals.

Many believe that the name Guatemala comes from the Maya word Guhatezmalh, that described the volcano near the old capital in Antigua, the "Mountain That Vomits Water." Today the volcano is simply called the Volcan de Agua, "Volcano of Water."

High in the mountains in the misty cloud forests lives the colorful quetzal bird. In the bright sunshine, both the male and female quetzal bird have vibrant green, white, and red feathers, but only the male has the fabulous long tail that can measure 3 feet (1 meter) long.

The ancient Maya people believed that the quetzal bird was the living form of the god Quetzalcoatl. Today the rare bird is listed as endangered due to destruction of tropical rain forests.

The cloud forest mist provides a water source to air plants known as bromeliads which cling to tree trunks. The forest floor is also home to orchids, ferns, and mosses.

The lowland Petén region in the northeastern part of the country is home to many plants and animals including jaguars, tapirs, monkeys, mule deer, and the ocelot.

GOVERNMENT

Guatemala's economy boomed in the 1870s thanks to coffee exports. Wealthy landowners pushed Maya communities off their land to make way for more coffee plantations.

Decades of civil war and repression of the indigenous people killed hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans in the 20th century. In 1996, a new president, Alvaro Arzu, signed a peace agreement with rebels and ended the 36-year civil war.

A new constitution in 1986 established three branches of government. The president serves for only one term and is assisted by a vice president and the Council of Ministers. New laws are passed by Congress. President Alvaro Colom Caballeros was sworn in January 2008.

Archaeologists believe that the earliest settlers to Guatemala crossed the Bering Strait from Asia 14,000 years ago and evidence of human settlements date to around 9000 B.C. People began to farm and form villages around 1000 B.C. and some of them became the Maya who dominated Guatemala history from A.D. 250 to 900.

The Maya temple at Tikal was built over 1,300 years ago as a tomb to honor the Maya ruler, Ah Cacaw. Tikal, once an expansive city and home to 100,000 people, began to decline in A.D. 850, and was abandoned about 50 years later. The ruins were not discovered until 1695.

In the 16th century, the Spanish invaded and fought the largest remaining group called the Quiché. The Quiché were overpowered and forced to work on vast estates in the newly established colony of New Spain. In 1821, Guatemala claimed independence from Spain.

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Guatemala Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Guatemala is a country of volcanoes, mountains, and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

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I want the streamer things and I think it would be cool for the dance

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I like the streamers at the end and all the dimonds I think it would be good for the flying part in our dance.

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I want it to be very colorful clothing

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Colorful detailed clothing to wear.

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I really like all the patterns so I think it could be good clothing

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maybe a kite shell like back accecory

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We think that it would be cool to have something very colorful clothing with some cool patterns like flowers, stripes, zigzag patters, loose blouses that look kinda like the ones they wore called huipils. Also at home, Mayan women weave cloth. The women cover the cloth with colorful patterns and decorations. The decorations tell stories about their families and villages. And many Mayan women tied sashes around their waist. A skarf on the head to repersent tzutes. And something colorful to repersent the kite.

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I love how curvey it is and i think it should look like that

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We think the ribons would look really cool to repersent the kite. And maybe a patter or picture like the ones shown in the picture. Like how there is a smily face on one of the kites.

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I like the warm and cooled colors

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Maybe something like streamers or colorful banners that stick out of your body.

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We want colorful clothing and scarfs for the kite and a hat for me (Eloise) :D

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for the decor/accessory a cool pattern

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We want brown to make it look like like an old town

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We want brown to make it look like like an old town

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We want pink, yellow, blue, and black tones for colors

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we think it would be cool to have a string so that it is like an actual kite with something to hold it with

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i love colors and i love this kite

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I like the hat

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Elise thinks we can incorporate these streamers somehow

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Elise thinks we can incorporate these streamers somehow

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I think the shirt is very cool with all the flowers and all the different colors

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I can wear a hat like the one in the picture because we start out as people and not kites!

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dean can wear clothing that you would wear on a festival - bright clothing

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I will need to change in the middle of the show to where colorful cloths because I become a kite

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We can wear a holihop a cover it with a blanket over it so it looks like a kite

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huipil (blouse), the faja (belt/sash), the corte (skirt) and the cinta (headband).

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i want the the scarf because me and chole can be like fashined

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We want hats that are in the book!

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We think that to change characters we need neckties for when we are the good and evil spirit. We also need color for skirts and shirt.

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I like how it looks like a kite at the bottom and a bird at the top. I would like a costume like that.

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We would love vibrant patterns on clothing!

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the tucan please because i think like a tucan can like fly when we blow the kite

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I want to have a kite on my back

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I like how many different designs there are on this kite.

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we want something that is beautiful and trails in the wind that can be attached to Ethan for a kite blue, red, and yellow wood be favored

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We would like lots of small shapes like that to make lots of detail.

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i want it. to be very vibrant and big and colorful.

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we would love some colorful flowers to brring out qautamalas beautiful flowers

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the

color can work  because we can like be a vibreat

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Id love to have some close like that id think really bring me  and carters show toghther - chloe

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I want a colorful skirt or dress and maybe a vibrant scarf.

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I want to fly out of a volcano.

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The kites are really complexed suns please.

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We would like nice decorations to make it look like the big day.

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I wan t it to meen some thing nice

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I want a hat  like this one

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We would like a pair of devil horns and a angel haloe

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We would like a pair of devil horns and a angel haloe

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I love this pattern its very beautiful and id think it would look really nice -chloe

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BIRDDDDDSSSSSSS

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the backpack because i think like i came back from school also because we can put the supplies and money in it

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we would love a string to incorportate the kite effect and harrison becoming the kite.

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Scarves or ribbons to run with, use for good and bad spirits, and for the making of kites.

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I want a parrot on my shoulder -Jonny

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this can be are kite

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can we have some chopsticks for sowing needles!

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i want it to be vibrintn and a lot of flowrs

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i think we can use the ribbon

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both me and carter are going to need a kite to hold as prop for are last seed when we lanch are kite and I think it will pull it togher really nicely it -chloe

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Lots of long streamers

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I love it and i want that costume.

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lots of color would be enjoyed