Not all who wander are lost: Celebrations and Festivals

Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmastime is here!

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to see what the Christmas season is like in Berlín. Obviously, it’s a lot different than Iowa. There’s no snow and it’s not nearly as cold. You don’t hear the usual Christmas songs or bake Christmas cookies. But there are Christmas decorations and lights. Various businesses and people in Berlín can “buy” a small part of the town square to decorate and advertise. There are lights, bulbs, snowman, Christmas trees, and a nativity was set up in the middle of the town square.

Even Santa Claus made an appearance. Of course, I should clarify this statement. It was a skinny, Salvadoran Santa with a somewhat scraggly beard. Also, he was an FMLN Santa, a political Santa. He came riding into town on a cart pulled by some sort of motorcycle. The cart was covered with FMLN flags and posters of Don Lito, who is the FMLN candidate for mayor next year. I guess I never knew how political Santa was.

The same night we saw Santa we went into town to the square to watch them light up all the Christmas lights for the first time. We waited for what seemed like forever, listening to people from City Hall talk endlessly about something. Finally, they turned off the main lights in the town square and turned on the Christmas lights. They were beautiful! We walked around looking at all the different lights. Then they set off fireworks. We stayed and watched for quite some time. It wasn’t Iowa, but it certainly felt like Christmas.

Setting up the nativity

Merry Christmas

Pedro's bush

Snowman without the snow

Christmas bulbs

Styrofoam nativity- love it!

Christmas tree put up by the

physical therapy foundation

Another nativity

It feels like Christmas

Ding dong!

It's Santa Claus!

FMLN Santa

He's looking skinny

Me and Santa

Santa's clowns?

Ho ho ho

I guess Santa supports Don Lito

New sign in town

The nativity

Driving into the town square

One of my second grade students

Gathered around to see Santa

All lit up

Blanca sitting by a tree

Fireworks

Yay!

My favorite

I love all the lights

Lots of people

So beautiful

Not quite a pine tree

Christmastime is here

Pedro's tree

Walking around

Feliz Navidad

One of my favorite trees

Up by the nativity

The huge pine tree

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Bicentennial Celebration – First Cry of Independence

Saturday, 11-5-11

History
On November 5, 1811 Salvadoran priest José Matías Delgado rang the bells of Iglesia La Merced in San Salvador, calling for insurrection and launching the 1811 Independence Movement. This was considered the First Cry of Independence. However, this insurrection was suppressed and many of its leaders were arrested and served sentences in jail. Another insurrection was launched in 1814, and again it was suppressed. Finally, on September 15, 1821 in light of unrest in Guatemala, Spanish authorities signed the “Acta de Independencia” which released Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica from Spanish rule.

Today’s Festivities
I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t we just have a celebration for something like this not too long ago? Why are there so many celebrations for things in El Salvador? Yes indeed, there always seems to be some sort of celebration or festivity here. I’ve gotten to know them very well. I said as much to Kathy when I was talking about attending the celebration with my school. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” I said to her. “I was told to be at school at 7:00am.” Kathy said, “Which means things will get started around 8:00am.” “Right,” I said. “And I’ll be to school at 7:15am.”

I continued to tell her everything that I expected would be happening during the celebration: First we’ll all walk in formation from the school to the park. The important people in Berlín and national flag will be marched onto stage and then the National Anthem will be played. Following that someone will get up on stage and recite the Salvadoran Pledge of Allegiance which the audience will repeat, line by line. Then someone from City Hall will talk briefly about the importance of this day. After that we’ll have a couple schools perform dances. Next the flag will be marched off and someone will say a couple more words about the day. Then everyone will be released.

And you know what? That’s exactly what happened. The only thing I didn’t guess was that the band would be playing afterward. But play they did, and even though I’ve heard the music more than a hundred times I still enjoy listening to them. Enjoy the pictures.