#guatemala via...

[newsbites]

Аnnuаllу оn оr nеаr thе аnnіvеrѕаrу оf thе ѕіgnіng оf thе 1859 Аnglо-Guаtеmаlаn Тrеаtу whісh еѕtаblіѕhеѕ thе сurrеnt lаnd аnd ѕеа bоrdеrѕ іn thе ѕоuth аnd wеѕt оf Веlіzе wіth Guаtеmаlа, thе Веlіzе Теrrіtоrіаl Vоluntееrѕ (ВТV) lеd bу Wіl Маhеіа trаvеl tо thе Grасіаѕ а Dіоѕ mоnumеnt mаrkеr аlоng thе Ѕаrѕtооn Rіvеr.

Тhіѕ уеаr’ѕ trір wаѕ hеld оn Ѕаturdау аnd wаѕ mаrkеd bу Guаtеmаlаn Аrmеd Fоrсеѕ реrѕоnnеl dеmаndіng thе Веlіzеаn bоаtѕ “ѕhоw thеm thеіr dосumеntѕ” аnd іnѕіѕtіng thаt thеу wеrе іn Guаtеmаlаn tеrrіtоrу.

[alphabetsoup-blogposts]

“Storm/Hurricane Lisa”

Storm/Hurricane/Cylones is LA

[herpsandbirds]

Meso-American Slider (Trachemys venusta), juvenile, family Emydidae, this subspecies is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico

photograph via: Sunshine Serpent Adventures

[reasonsforhope]

"Beneath 1,350 square miles of dense jungle in northern Guatemala, scientists have discovered 417 cities that date back to circa 1000 B.C. and that are connected by nearly 110 miles of “superhighways” — a network of what researchers called “the first freeway system in the world.”

Scientist say this extensive road-and-city network, along with sophisticated ceremonial complexes, hydraulic systems and agricultural infrastructure, suggests that the ancient Maya civilization, which stretched through what is now Central America, was far more advanced than previously thought.

Mapping the area since 2015 using lidar technology — an advanced type of radar that reveals things hidden by dense vegetation and the tree canopy — researchers have found what they say is evidence of a well-organized economic, political and social system operating some two millennia ago.

The discovery is sparking a rethinking of the accepted idea that the people of the mid- to late-Preclassic Maya civilization (1000 B.C. to A.D. 250) would have been only hunter-gatherers, “roving bands of nomads, planting corn,” says Richard Hansen, the lead author of a study about the finding that was published in January and an affiliate research professor of archaeology at the University of Idaho.

“We now know that the Preclassic period was one of extraordinary complexity and architectural sophistication, with some of the largest buildings in world history being constructed during this time,” says Hansen, president of the Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies, a nonprofit scientific research institution that focuses on ancient Maya history.

These findings in the El Mirador jungle region are a “game changer” in thinking about the history of the Americas, Hansen said. The lidar findings have unveiled “a whole volume of human history that we’ve never known” because of the scarcity of artifacts from that period, which were probably buried by later construction by the Maya and then covered by jungle.

Lidar, which stands for light detection and ranging, works via an aerial transmitter that bounces millions of infrared laser pulses off the ground, essentially sketching 3D images of structures hidden by the jungle. It has become a vital tool for archaeologists who previously relied on hand-drawings of where they estimated areas of note might be and, by the late 1980s, the first 3D maps.

When scientists digitally removed ceiba and sapodilla trees that cloak the area, the lidar images revealed ancient dams, reservoirs, pyramids and ball courts. El Mirador has long been considered the “cradle of the Maya civilization,” but the proof of a complex society already being in place circa 1000 B.C. suggests “a whole volume of human history that we’ve never known before,” the study says."

-via The Washington Post, via MSN, because Washington Post links don't work on tumblr for some godawful reason. May 20, 2023.

[whencyclopedia]

Chocolate in Mesoamerica

Chocolate was one of the most desired foods of Mesoamerica and was consumed by the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, amongst others. Its consumption even spread via trade routes to other parts of the Americas including the Chaco Canyon in modern New Mexico. The earliest known use of chocolate was by the Olmec around 1900 BCE and, enjoyed as a drink, it was drunk from special round jars known as tecomates. The Maya used tall cylinder beakers for drinking chocolate, and these very often had text on the rim indicating their intended use. The Aztecs also had richly decorated tall cups specifically reserved for chocolate drinks. It may be that such conspicuous vessels were designed to impress onlookers that the drinker had the means and status to enjoy such a prized drink.

Cultivation & Value

Chocolate is made from the beans of cacao pods from the Theobroma cacao tree (actually native to South America) which was first cultivated in extensive orchards near the Pacific and Gulf coasts of Central America, especially in the Xoconusco region and the valleys of the Sarstoon, Polochic, and Motagua Rivers (modern Guatemala and Belize), where the tree thrives in the warm and humid climate. There were, in fact, four varieties of cacao bean or cacahuatl, as the Aztecs knew them, and the corruption of this word or their term for the chocolate drink - xocolatl - is probably the origin of the word chocolate.

So esteemed was chocolate that beans were a commonly traded item, very often demanded as tribute from subject tribes and even used as a form of currency by the Aztecs. In fact, cacao beans were so valuable that they were even counterfeited either to pass as currency or, even more fiendishly, hollowed out of their valuable interior and refilled with a substitute such as sand. As a currency, we know that in the Aztec markets one cacao bean could buy you a single tomato, 30 beans got you a rabbit and, for the more ambitious shopper, a turkey could be had for 200 beans.

As an expensive import then, chocolate was drunk mainly by the upper classes and consumed after meals, typically accompanied by the smoking of tobacco. It may have been enjoyed mixed with maize gruel by the poorer classes at important events such as weddings, but some scholars maintain that the pure chocolate drink was an exclusive status symbol of the nobility. Curiously, it could even be given to favoured sacrificial victims as a final treat before they departed this world, for example, at the annual Aztec festival of Panquetzaliztli held in honour of Huitzilopochtli.

Continue reading...

[fatehbaz]

You know about the Fenix nickel project in Guatemala? It’s a massive area where nickel is mined via mountaintop removal. The mines have been in operation since the 1960s. The Fenix mining complex was a major asset for the US-backed military coup leaders and dictatorship during the long and horrific Guatemalan campaign(s) against Maya people. Here, for 60 years, Indigenous residents have stood against environmental degradation and violent reprisals from security forces. In late 2021, to quell Indigenous protestors, the federal military enforced a month-long “state of siege”.

Remember the news from March 2022, when a major investigation from The Intercept and multiple other international researchers and outlets looked into leaked corporate emails? Remember the revelations from the leaked emails, about public officials and police working for the mining corporation to brutalize local communities resisting extraction?

Well, check out this news from April 2023.

The United States has a plan to basically unofficially acquire the mine.

A “substantial discount”.

The way that Newsw**k frames this revelation? Read the exclusive report for yourself, but basically: “The US needs stuff like nickel and lithium so that it can make more money and remain dominant in the future transition to, like, ‘green energy’ and electric cars. But China is outmaneuvering the US. China has better access to some of these resources. The US seeks cheaper sources of nickel and lithium. Therefore, the US has used its sanctions against Russian businesses as a convenient rationale to penalize sponsors/owners of the Fenix nickel project. The US ultimately wants access to the mine, so the US applies financial pressure, and forces the company into a situation where its best option is to simply sell itself to a Canadian mining company. And that Canadian mining company is basically under orders from the US government and US investors.”

And if you want a primer on the Fenix mine? Highly recommend checking out The Intercept’s report from March 2022.

Accessible, clear, well-researched. With input from and interviews with local people. Here: Sandra Cuffe. “The Hidden Story of a Notorious Guatemalan Nickel Mine.” The Intercept. 27 March 2022.

Maddening.

[talonabraxas]

Hongos Sagrados. "Cure yourself with the light of the sun and the rays of the moon. With the sound of the river and the waterfall. With the swaying of the sea and the fluttering of birds. Heal yourself with mint, with neem and eucalyptus. Sweeten yourself with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a touch of cinnamon. Put love in tea instead of sugar, and take it looking at the stars."

Maria Sabina (via the Santitos) 🍄 Mushroom stones dating from 3000 BC were used in ritual contexts across Mesoamerica and into South America. The majority were found in Guatemala in the highlands or in areas along the intercontinental mountain range which were heavily influenced in Pre-classic times by the Olmec culture. 🍄 The Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all used hallucinogenic mushrooms as a catalyst for spiritual insight, poetry and philosophy. To this day the Mazatec use them ritualistically and primarily to cure illnesses. Additionally, much like the early religions and philosophies of Eurasia and their sacred, mediating substance called Soma (see previous post on Scythians), these transcendental substances were undeniably at the very core of all world religions. 🍄 It is suggested that European ideas of heaven and hell may well derive from the same cult mysteries. Tlaloc, the mayan rain and mushroom god was created by lightening, so was Dionysus; in Greek folklore as in Mazatec, so are all mushrooms - proverbially called ‘flesh of the gods' in both languages. Tlaloc wore a serpent crown, so did Dionysus. Tlaloc has an underwater cave, so did Dionysus… 🍄 What all these cultural links seem to suggest is that entwined within the physical world is a realm concealed to ordinary sight. Just as Maria Sabina claimed that all her poetry was not hers but was given to her by the mushrooms, so too the most ancient living traditions claim that their knowledge is not their own but was handed down to them from much older civilisations - sometimes in the form of pure, non-material consciousness. art by Ventral is Golden

[glubby-guppiez]

*I MADE A TMNT AU [WIP]

*cw: typing quirk

*Oroku family info

*Basic synopsis

*Turtles are from a zoo in Guatemala

*The turtles are Central American Snapping Turtles

*They were stolen and mutated by Baxter Stockman

*Baxter Stockman is the main villain and the turtles work to stop him because he is too far gone and has hurt so many people and creatures in his quest for vast knowledge and is completely apathetic

*)(amato + Foot clan does not affect the story

*The turtles + Splinter lived in Guatemala until they met April and then they moved to New York to go after Stockman

*The turtles start off as regular mutant turtles, but early on during the events of the AU, get mutated further into dragons (friends idea)

*Character Info

*Shared info about the turtles

*Central American Snapping Turtles *All were originally named by the zoo *When they are mutated into dragons, their heights increased *The mutation process was very painful *Wings grew out of their backs and broke their shells at the top where the wings grew *Knows/speaks/writes in Spanish and English *Keeps their original weapons *Learned ninjitsu and self defense similarly to Mutant Mayhem and Bayverse via books and videos but also by watching humans at the dojo that is right above where they live

*Michelangelo

*)(e/)(im Cis male *5'11" (Pre-Dragon) *7'2" (Post-Dragon) *Very muscular build *Lost one of his right toes *Wears cheap gym shorts and an orange sweater around his shoulders that soon turns into his mask after he mutates into a dragon (tears off a sleeve) *Nunchaku on belt *Stickers on shell, including an anime sticker Raphael put on as a joke that won't come off *Old mask had the iconic Mikey short tails *Gay *The Leader *Optimist *Actually good at strategizing *Tries to stay energetic and joyful even when it's inappropriate *A little bit insensitive tbh *Not entirely on purpose he just doesn't understand why everyone isn't happy-go-lucky and constantly optimistic like he is *#1 Cheerleader *Tries to keep good relationships with his family *Very loving and supportive of them *Learning empathy is part of his character development *Mondo Gecko becomes a love interest for him later on

*Madonna (Donatello)

*She/)(er Transfem changed name *6'4" (Pre-Dragon) *7'6" (Post-Dragon) *Largest and most muscular turtle because of her Bo training and mechanical handling *Wears skirts and an apron with lots of storage, including a large tool belt *Steal's Raph's clothes even though they are small on her *Paint splats on shell *Braided mask tails *When everyone's masks broke because of the second mutation, she made everyone but Mikey new ones (Mikey immediately tore up his sweater and made a new mask) *Straight *Group inventor *Not very good at organizing her thoughts and explaining her inventions, and tech is always very messy and hard to follow *Personality is like Rise!Donnie but toned down *Doesn't really get mad but sulky *Very bad grammar *Often butts heads with 'Nardo *)(as a large bo collection and only uses her least favorites and never the ones she really likes unless she has to *Small crush on CJ in the beginning (purely one-sided and goes away after a while)

Leonardo

*)(e/)(im Cis male *5'8" (Pre-Dragon) *6'7" (Post-Dragon) *More scrawny and lanky than the rest of the group *Was effected the most by the second mutation out of the group appearance wise *Wears comfortable loose clothes like hoodies and sweatpants *Plain, long tail mask *Wore glasses before second mutation *)(as a dragon carved onto his lower shell (he begged asked Madonna to do it) *AroAce *Main intel of the group *Very observant *Non verbal and writes everything that comes to mind in these journals called: "Big Book of 'Nardo Thoughts" and hopes to publish them one day. *Thinks he should've been the leader *Geography nerd *Otaku

Raphael

*She/)(er Cis female *5'4" (Pre-Dragon) *7'4" (Post-Dragon) *Muscular but chubby build *Wears feminine clothing mainly jeans and crop tops but also skirts and dresses *Mask tied into a nice bow *Madonna put nail polish drawings on her shell *Paints hers and Mikey's nails *Lesbian *Sassy like 1987 Raphael *Very girly and feminine *Very protective of her family *Does have rage strength *A voice of wisdom/reason *Still kind of childish *)(angs out with Splinter a lot *Gets a girlfriend named Marilyn

Splinter

*)(e/)(im Cis male *5'6" *47 *Bushy-tailed Woodrat *Wears a dirty ass expensive silk bathrobe that he stole from a human that he WILL NOT take off *Raph likes to style his fur *Straight ally *Only knows Spanish *Reads a lot and taught the turtles how to read *Great cook *Mediocre dad *Was taken from his own parents at an early age so he has no clue how to parent outside of instinct and books *He's trying he goes to the PTA meetings he goes to them/ref *Brought home a whole bunch of girl books for Madonna when she came out to him *Praises Mikey for his optimism *Adores 'Nardo's writing *Wants a wife so bad

Baxter Stockman

*TW FOR MENTIONS OF ABUSE *)(e/)(im Cis Male *5'5" (Pre mutation) *6'4" (Post mutation) *56 *Black and Brazilian *Buzz cut (Pre mutation) *Skinny build (Pre mutation) *Becomes a fly mutant *Much more muscular post mutation *)(air grows out *Kind of looks like Super Fly *Wears stereotypical lab gear *Questioning AroAce *Very devoted to his work *Abused and neglected his wife (April's mom) and daughter (April O'Neil) *Made the turtles, Shredder, Splinter, and other mutants *Everyone )(ATES him *Rightfully so *)(e uses mech suits to fight like 2012 him in season 1 *CJ is his pupil early on *Kind of a bitch to CJ *Sadistic *This man gets very uncomfortable to be around after he's mutated *Like bro wanting disect and study every living thing he comes across after the mutation *Throws a fit when he's wrong about something *Has a deep desire to be all knowing

April O'Neil

*She/They/It Demigirl *5'8" *19 *Afro Latina *She has dark brown hair styled in afro puffs *Skinny but athletic build *Sports a black and yellow track suit with a white undershirt *Bisexual *Daughter of Baxter Stockman *Tech whiz *Madonna's best friend *Big sister figure to the turtles *Grew up in Guatemala and moved to New York with the turtles and Splinter shortly after meeting them *)(er dad's #1 hater *Fluent in Spanish *Knows English, but it's rough *Uses a gun *Dating Karai

Casey Jones (CJ)

*They/)(e/It Nonbinary (fine with gender neutral or masculine terms) *5'2" *17 *White *)(as that 2000's mid length emo boy haircut *Wears Jeans + Band tee and a lab coat *Main inspo from 2012 Casey design wise *Omniromantic (pref for men) Asexual *Kind of wimpy and doesn't fight *Mainly uses mousers and other robots *Stockman's pupil until he joins up with the turtles *Works alongside 'Nardo and Madonna *Genuinely scared of Mikey *Grew up in New York *Failed Art Class and will have to repeat highschool they are so salty about this it is not even *Geek loser *Main personality inspo from '87 and 2012 Stockman

*I will write about more characters later and more lore but rn this is all you get. If you wanna see specific characters or if you have any questions, feel free to ask me my ask box is open!

[esrah-rah-rasputin]

I need everyone to know that there is in fact a guy responsible for all the ad bullshit we're dealing with today

[ID: a photo of Edward Bernays overlaid with various blocks of text.

Hot pink header text, which is in cursive: Fuck This Guy In Particular.

Top left text: one can directly tie nearly all of the ad related bullshit we now deal with to this guy specifically!

Left text column: want a dead guy to blame for: YouTube ads, pop-up ads, infomercials, corporate appropriation for the sake of advertising, body image issues triggered by popular culture, weight loss industry success, post 9/11 propaganda, popularizing smoking among women, nazi Germany's propaganda (via Joseph Goebbels, avid fan), consumerism in the 20th century, red scare -ification of Guatemala coup in 1954, general enshittification of websites? Well this is your guy (text is a gradient from blue to pink, and two pink arrows point to him)

Top right text: He's responsible for making advertising in America and broader global society the way it is!

Middle right: picture of Sigmund Freud positioned next to Bernays' face, with a pink arrow pointing to Freud and "related" written in pink text beside it

Bottom right, in pastel yellow/pink text: This fucker is directly responsible for having to deal with Sigmund Freud in every psychology class you’ve taken. (then in smaller, italicized text) Sigmund Freud was his uncle and he single handedly pulled him out of bankruptcy and was responsible for the popularity of his theories

Bottom header, also in cursive: Fuck You Ed Bernays!!! /End ID]

[mariluphoto]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which 10 countries voted against the UNGA ceasefire resolution in Gaza.

Unsurprisingly, Israel and the US were among the countries to vote against the motion.

Also among them were two tiny pacific islands – Micronesia and Nauru – with the combined population of fewer than 130,000 people.

Here is the list:

Austria

Czech Republic

Guatemala

Israel

Liberia

Micronesia

Nauru

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

United States

(via. aljazeeraenglish)

[gameraboy2]

Pan Am Airways - Guatemala is Only One Day Away via Pan American by Paul George Lawler

[dear-indies]

Hey guys. I've previously posted about Nancy Ng (who is sadly still missing) and I wanted to provide an update. You can also keep updated at helpusfindnancy on Instagram which is run by her family and this is from their gofundme updates, please consider donating if you're able.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: In March, our family worked on a video with Kendall Rae, an advocate for missing persons and their families. We'd like to thank Kendall and her incredible team for covering Nancy’s story. They did such an amazing job covering the details of Nancy’s case and published the most comprehensive video on Nancy’s case to date. We are blown away by the support from Kendall’s audience, who have not only sent over 1,000 emails to Ambassador Bradley, but have also put the spotlight on the Ministerio Publico and U.S. Embassy in their roles in Nancy’s case via X (formerly Twitter). Our family continues to be immensely grateful for the online community being one of our biggest supporters and advocates during this time. Thank you for helping our voices be heard and for not letting Nancy be forgotten. As mentioned in Kendall’s video, please help our family escalate Nancy’s case by emailing the following template to Ambassador Tobin Bradley at AmCitsGuatemala @ state . gov (Do not include spaces in email address.) Please note that the subject line must start with “E99” so that the email gets routed to the correct office. Subject Line: E99 - Urgent: Assistance Required In Search For Nancy Ng Hello Mr. Bradley, My name is ____, and I am writing to you on behalf of Nancy Ng’s entire family, who have gone months without answers regarding what happened to her on October 19, 2023, on Lake Atitlán. After kayaking out into the lake, she disappeared in an alleged drowning incident. The one and only person who witnessed Nancy’s drowning has been uncooperative, and there are now allegations that a bribe occurred to have her statement omitted from the police report. This person then left the country without aiding in search efforts and has refused to cooperate with the family and search teams. It is my understanding that you have the power to escalate Nancy’s case to the appropriate authorities in Guatemala because, as it stands, little is being done to investigate her disappearance. Please help her and her family. I am asking that you please: - Request that Guatemalan authorities ask U.S. officials, such as the FBI, for assistance in this investigation. The United States has resources that would prove incredibly valuable to this investigation, as well as in the search for Nancy’s body. - Facilitate a conversation between the Ng family and someone in Guatemala who is actively working the case. Their family is not receiving relevant case information from the prosecutor. Please help connect them with someone with more information regarding the status and details of Nancy’s case. - Lastly - I am asking that you please not forget that Nancy was human. She was a sister, a daughter, a teacher, and a friend. All her loved ones want is to know what happened and to bring her home to lay her to rest. Their patience has been taken advantage of and it’s time someone stepped up to escalate the situation for them. Please consider taking action swiftly. Thank you.

[transgenderer]

The Casiquiare river is a distributary of the upper Orinoco flowing southward into the Rio Negro, in Venezuela, South America. As such, it forms a unique natural canal between the Orinoco and Amazon river systems. It is the world's largest river of the kind that links two major river systems, a so-called bifurcation. The area forms a water divide, more dramatically at regional flood stage.

Lake Okeechobee in Florida is a particularly rare example of a trifurcation lake. Via the artificial Okeechobee Waterway, it flows east to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lucie River and west to the Gulf of Mexico through the Caloosahatchee River. Meanwhile, part of the lake's water naturally flows south through the Everglades into the Florida Bay

The Inland Waterway of Michigan, a chain of rivers and lakes flowing into Lake Huron come within half of a mile of Lake Michigan

Semuc Champey – in Guatemala. That Cahabón River flows under a natural bridge supporting limestone-rimmed pools.

The Danube Sinkhole near Möhringen, where the waters of the upper Danube river, which flows into the Black Sea, can sink into the Danube riverbed, through a system of caverns, that outflow towards the Radolfzeller Aach, a creek that flows into Rhine River, which flows into the North Sea.

cannot figure out what the "natural bridge" at semuc champey is supposed to be. it seem like its just a cave?

[lunapaper]

I don’t really know much about Oscar Isaac. I mean, I know who he is. I know he’s Moon Knight, that he’s been anointed a Tumblr Daddy in recent times, a ‘babygirl,’ a ‘blorbo’… 

Dear God, I am on this hellsite way too much (◠﹏◠✿) 

But what I do know is that I love ‘Luna de Xelaju,’ his new duet with Gaby Moreno. 

Originally written by Paco Perez in the 1940s, the song is considered the second anthem of Guatemala (the homeland of both Moreno and Isaac), ‘Luna de Xelajú’ is a bittersweet lament to a past lover still in possession of one’s heart. Amid aching strums, Moreno and Isaac’s soft, sweet vocals beautifully intermingle, resting in the air before gently falling.  

I’m not Guatemalan nor do I speak Spanish (being of Italian descent, I can understand, like, about a quarter of it without looking at the subtitles), but you don’t really need to know the words. The song’s heartfelt longing is palpable, quietly embracing you before slipping away like an old lover in the night… 

*sigh* I loved this song more than I thought I would (◠‿◠✿) 

Gaby Moreno's new album, X Mi (Vol. 1), is out now via Cosmica Artists. 

- Bianca B.  

[brokehorrorfan]

La Llorona will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18 via The Criterion Collection. Joao Ruas designed the new cover art for the 2019 Guatemalan horror-drama, also known as The Weeping Woman.

La Llorona is directed by Jayro Bustamante from a script co-written with Lisandro Sanchez. María Mercedes Coroy stars with Margarita Kenéfic, Sabrina De La Hoz, Julio Diaz, María Telón, Ayla-Elea Hurtado, and Juan Pablo Olyslager.

La Llorona has been mastered in 2K, approved by Bustamante, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio. Special features are listed below.

Special features:

Interview with writer-director Jayro Bustamante

Making-of documentary with cast and crew

Trailer

Booklet with an essay by journalist/author Francisco Goldman

A country’s bloody history stains the present in the Guatemalan auteur Jayro Bustamante’s transfixing fusion of folk horror and searing political commentary, inspired by the real-life indictment of the authoritarian Efraín Ríos Montt for crimes against humanity. A notorious, now aging former military dictator stands trial for atrocities committed against Guatemala’s Mayan communities. While battling legal repercussions and the people’s demands for justice, he and his family are plagued by a series of increasingly strange and disturbing occurrences, seemingly brought on by an enigmatic new housekeeper (María Mercedes Coroy). With a restraint that renders the film’s shocks all the more potent, Bustamante crafts a chilling vision of a nation reckoning with collective harms and the restless ghosts of a past that refuses to die.

[rabbitcruiser]

Semana Santa Spain

Semana Santa is observed annually in Spain during the week immediately before Easter and this year it takes place from April 2 to 9. Also known as Holy Week, Semana Santa is observed by Catholics to commemorate the Passion of Jesus Christ, his suffering, and death on the cross. Throughout the week, religious brotherhoods and fraternities carry out penance processions through the streets of almost every Spanish city and town. These activities attract visitors from outside Spain and are often advertised in hand guides and international fairs.

History of Semana Santa Spain

Semana Santa commemorates the Passion of Christ, that is, the suffering of Jesus before his crucifixion. The term ‘passion’ derives from the Latin verb ‘patior’ or ‘passus sum,’ meaning to ‘endure,’ ‘suffer,’ or ‘bear.’ In Catholic tradition, this often refers to specific events from the Christian Bible, such as the ‘Triumphant Entry’ of Jesus into Jerusalem. He rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey, and as he did, the people greeted him as the Jewish Messiah, the ‘Son of David.’

When he arrived, he went into the Jerusalem temple and expelled the money changers who were doing business there. Later, Jesus and his disciples shared a meal known as the ‘Last Supper,’ from where Judas Iscariot left to betray Jesus to the religious leaders of Israel. Another important event was Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he prayed until his sweat became like drops of blood. Immediately after this, he was arrested and put on trial, then unjustly declared guilty. Jesus was subsequently crucified, but after three days, he rose again.

Religious brotherhoods and fraternities hold penance processions through the streets of Spain during Holy Week. The participants or brothers typically use conical hooded penitent gowns to conceal their faces. They wear shackles on their feet and carry wooden crosses or candles. The ‘pasos,’ which floats with sculptures that depict scenes from the Passion of Christ or the Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, are another fascinating aspect of the processions. Typically, marching bands, or ‘marchas procesionales’ in Spanish, accompany the floats. Holy Week in Spain is more than just a religious celebration; it also draws visitors from worldwide who come to see the processions. Typically, the processions are advertised at significant international fairs, hand guides, and on T.V.

Semana Santa Spain timeline

Eighth Century The Reconquista Begins

During the Reconquista, Christian kingdoms expel Muslim Moors from the Iberian Peninsula.

1478 The Spanish Inquisition is Formed

The Spanish Inquisition is established to combat heresy in Spain.

1521 The Stations of the Cross are Institutionalized

After returning from the Holy Land, the Marques de Tarifa establishes the ‘Via Crucis,’ Stations of the Cross, in Spain.

1851 The State Adopts Catholicism

Catholicism becomes the official state religion of Spain with the signing of the Concordat of 1851.

Semana Santa Spain FAQs

What is Easter called in Spain?

Easter is called ‘Pascua’ in Spain.

What foods are eaten during Semana Santa?

Popular meals eaten during Semana Santa include Torrijas, Potaje de Vigilia, Roscos Fritos, Sopa de Ajo, and Mona de Pascua.

What other countries celebrate Semana Santa?

Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, and others.

Semana Santa Spain Activities

Learn from Christ’s life

Watch a parade

Love others

There are many lessons to learn from the life of the humble Christ. Take a moment to read one of the Gospels and discover what unconditional love means.

Whether or not you’re in Spain, you can take advantage of online platforms to stream one of the parades. Get a feel of the processions and see why it’s such a huge attraction.

While Christ was on earth, he exemplified true and abiding love. This Holy Week, commit to showing love in action, speech, and thought.

5 Amazing Facts About Spain

Spain borders Africa

It’s home to the second most-spoken language

Spain practices a constitutional monarchy

Other languages are spoken

Spain was once a Muslim country

Out of all the European countries, Spain is the only one that shares a border with an African country, which happens to be Morocco.

With over 500 million speakers, Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the world.

Although Spain is a democratic country, it also has a monarch — the current one being King Felipe VI.

Languages other than Spanish spoken in Spain include Celtic, Basque, Occitan, and Catalan.

Between 711 A.D. and 1492, Al-Andalus, as Spain was previously called, was under the control of Islamic Moors from North Africa.

Why We Love Semana Santa Spain

Christ paid the ultimate price

Christ touched many lives

Christ’s followers heal the world

Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for sins, offering his life and blood. He consented to the worst kind of beating, spitting, and killing, to demonstrate selfless love to everyone who accepts him as Lord.

While on earth, Jesus left footprints in the lives of all who met him. He lifted the oppressed, healed the sick, and raised the dead. Till today, his impact on the world has not diminished.

Jesus set an example for his followers, teaching them to love enemies and do good to all. This peaceful lifestyle can be seen perpetuated by Christ’s followers in our world today, centuries after his ascension to heaven.

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