пхщш»
they have; if they have a big orange tree, they put
after large meal, we take the giant dolls and throw them into
the street and light them on fire. All up and down the streets,
though the whole neighborhood, you can see the glow of
the fires. We run and jump over them as they burn, to show
that the problem will be conquered. For the rest of the night,
families go and visit with other families in their home, and
there is conversation, food, music and dancing. Fin deAno
is a whole family celebration.
ИПГ^ШШ1И
It's a whole neighborhood
celebration Here we don’t do
Д,/
\\
this tradition, because there iW 1
is no extended family and no t ,
neighborhood to celebrate
it with. It is the family and
community that bring meaning
to these traditions."
Silvia Bahena is 27 years old.
She moved here from Mexico
two years ago. She explains
how her family celebrates the
birthday of a religious figure
called the Virgen de Guadalupe
a national holiday in Mexico.
"This picture is of my sister’s
''Ыи
He is dressed up for el
come out to watch the procession
oranges into
their alfombra.
They also go
buy things, or
walk into the
mountains to
til gather flowers
Ifl and leaves,
jjl It takes the
Kj families an
flj entire day to
3 make them,
Ё
plus the time
E they spent
gathering
Щ
things and
9 planning the
Й
design.
Every night of
|he the week we
ig" walk slowly
о"„,
through the
streets and
jple explain how the’
ley got the colors;
and where they
le to enjoy life.”
The v.rgen deouau-
importan. religious
«9
America. Yearly, ah ®*j
million people
Me*.coCi«y ,maK.ng'<
after «he Vatican in**
Photo Cooroc
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participle in '
rv on an anda Th
Zda. and walking
this purpose.
Women '
Virgin M
a Jesus
made to
Wilfi Orlando Lopez
у
Lopez describes a beautiful tradition
that is practiced during Semana Santa (Easter week) in the
region of Guatemala where his family lives.
“ Semana Santa is one of the most important times
in Guatemala. It’s when the entire family makes a
big alfombra (carpet) in the street that the Easter
processions will walk on. Families put the finest corn
or vegetables from their harvest into the alfombras
to offer God their best, so that in the coming year
the best will come back to them. People use what
Carmen Alicia Moncayo Ayala explains how her family
celebrated Fin de Ano, (New Year’s Eve) in Quito, Ecuador.
“With your family or friends you make a giant doll, like a
puppet, out of old clothing, papers, straw, paint, and other
things, that symbolizes a problem that you would like to see
go away. These get very elaborate. People build shelters like
little houses for the dolls in their front yards, and have signs
and music to help communicate their ideas. For example,
one year I made one about drunk driving with things written
on signs explaining about drinking and driving. At midnight,