Join the Mexican Museum for an afternoon of arts & crafts in celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, Sunday, October 26, from 12:00 – 3:30pm. Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco will be performing; there will be face painting, art project’s for families, creating Kites of Remembrance (BarriletesGigantes) led by a local artist to commemorate this important holiday. Attendees will learn about the rich cultural traditions of this holiday which is celebrated throughout Mexico, Central and South America.… Show more
The Mexican Museum is located at Fort Mason Center, Building D, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, in San Francisco. FREE Admission. For more information, please visit: http://www.mexicanmuseum.org or call (415) 202-9700.
Kites of Remembrance
BarriletesGigantes of Guatemala
Every year for Day of the Dead, locals of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez in Guatemala build giant kites (barriletesgigantes) to commemorate their ancestors on November 1st. For hundreds of years, Guatemalans have crafted kites in various sizes dating back to their Mayan heritage. It is believed the kites were flown to keep evil spirits away and for spirits to connect to the living. Today, groups of participants design geometric and figurative images depicting religious, political, or personal themes.
Locals have built kites reaching more than 60 feet wide so preparations are made in advance. Since creating these works of art is a time consuming process, it can take up to a few days, weeks, or even months to complete. In this case, Villagers work in teams to collect raw materials from their local environment. Bamboo is used for the frame. Yucca flower, lemon peel, and water are combined to adhere colorful paper or cloth. During the festivities, competitions are held categorized by design and flight time. The celebration is accompanied by cleaning and embellishing their ancestors’ graves with drinks, food, and flowers. Families picnic next to the graves while kites are flown depicting various themes and visual messages to celebrate the spirits’ return.
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