The day of the Dead, Guatemala Kite Day

The town of Santiago Sacatepequez in Guatemala, in Central America, celebrates the All Saints Day on the first of November every year. The day is known locally as the Day of the Dead. It is a three-thousand-year-old custom developed from a mixture of local religious practices and Christianity.

 These are not normal kites. While they are constructed simply out of bamboo, cloth, paper and wire, they are amazingly durable even in strong winds. These kites are designed in a circular shape and usually with a religious or folkloric theme. They are also gigantic — most of them are with a diameter of 24 to 30 meters. The biggest ones are with a diameter of 36 meters!

 All Saints Day is dedicated to the dead but for the living it is festival time. Families gather together to have picnics and cook great traditional food of the country. It is a great day to get together with friends and family.

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