Tailor Made Holidays in Guatemala: In the News

Guatemalan kite festival flying high: 30-10-2007

A very special celebration takes place on the Day Of The Dead in Santiago Sacatepequez, Guatamala, when a host of giant kites take to the skies.

Guatemalans believe they can communicate with the spirits of the dead using kites, and often take more than two months constructing them. It is believed their loved ones are sending them messages through the sound the wind makes through the kite's tail.

Kites can range from eight to 30 feet in length and are made of fabric and coloured paper, with a bamboo frame fixed by wire. Most of the designs have religious, folkloric or political themes, with last year's acuerdos de paz (peace agreement) a popular topic.

The creations are flown above the Santiago Sacatepequez cemetery on All Saint's Day, while families feast around the graves of lost loved ones, singing and making music. A prize is presented for the best kite design, but for most families the act of kiteflying is enough reward in itself.