christmas Posadas in Quetzaltenango

newspaper picture from Xela

Another word is : Procesión de Alegría (procession of joy).

A Posada is a procession through the streets of Xela, starting at the 15th december and ending 8 days later. The objective is celebrating and the birth of Jesus. A group of 30 people is going to the streets with paper lanterns, making noises with thunderer whistles and carrying a statue of Maria or Joseph and Maria with Jesus.  One participant told the newspaper: We are doing this activity because we believe in and know about Jesus existence, not just in the world, also in our hearts!

There are several Posadas walking around the streets every night. They carry the statue from one house to another. There where it one day ended, starts the Posada next day. The people are from all ages, very young kids (they love the lanterns and making noises ;) ) to their grandparents.

One Posada ended at the 23rd in the Spanish School ICA. We students went to the staring house at 7 pm. The director told a bit about Posadas, but unfortunately kids kept me busy asking what several spanisch words are in english. But it was also sweet! Then we started walking with the lanterns to the city center, and then to the school. We students had to carry the statue, too. We met while walking another Posada, but I don´t know, how many were there every night. I asked, but nobody knew exactly.

ready?

We stopped in front of the school and started singing a song. We outside staying people sang a verse, inside staying people answered. But finally they opened the door. Inside we prayed and a guy reminded us, what is christmas important for. Then the teacher Gato started playing games with the children, woman, men, teachers and sometimes a student had to help. Many people hold a present at the end of the night. It was very funny, also because Gato likes to joke and always laugh a lot!

me carrying

After the games, Kirstine, a danish woman and professional violin folkmusic player, had to play some christmas songs, before the school started serving food and ponche (a typically christmas drink). After that, all was over, the statue found his last place for this year and the people left). Not so the students and the teachers, we stayed a bit more talking in the school and went then drinking some more beers in a bar. I could hit the road finally at one while nobody was watching me :)