Photo Essay: Dust to Dust: The Diary of a Street Carpet

(1) It’s noon and the pressure is on. In three remaining hours the giant wooden frames stretching up and down 3rd Street in Antigua, Guatemala must be converted into vivid canvases of sacred paintings. Foundations of sand and sawdust have been leveled. Brightly-colored backgrounds of dyed sawdust and pine needles are in place. Stencils have been created and flowers purchased. The teams work thoughtfully and diligently to implement their visions, incorporating Spanish and Mayan traditions from many centuries ago. They aim for a just-in-time completion.

(2) It is 2:45 PM. Vendors set up their stalls. Balloons and cotton candy appear in bunches overhead. Neighbors and a smattering of camera-toting tourists, like me, begin to claim sections of sidewalk in anticipation of the upcoming – although for some of us, unknown – events.

(3) 2:50 PM. It’s time for the final touches. Perhaps an additional flower here and a sprinkling of water there to make sure all will stay in place.

(4) 3:00 PM. Dozens of men and boys dressed in penitent-purple robes, and then dozens more, make their way down the street admiring the alfombras (carpets) as they go. Hawkers quicken their pace as the crowd gathers.

(5) 3:10 PM. The smell of incense anticipates the procession. For a moment we’re transported to medieval Spain. The censer is solemnly swung, creating a fragrance-clouded entranceway to receive the first float, one adorned with a revered sculpture of Jesus.

(6) 3:13 PM. It is heavy! The float is held, not easily, by forty or more members of a religious brotherhood. They will continue to trade-off with other members as the procession weaves itself through Antigua for hours more to come. The leader pauses briefly to regain his grip, and then takes the first step into the fragile, hand-crafted carpet.

(7) 3:15 PM. The eighty-odd footsteps marked by the carriers are followed by those of the full-sized funeral marching band, and then by onlookers accompanying the procession.

(8) 3:22 PM. The second large float appears, this one bearing a statue of the Virgin Mary, followed quickly be smaller floats. It is the women’s turn to brace themselves before proceeding through the now swirling alfombras.

(9) 3:25 PM. The smell of incense is still in the air and the sounds of the band can be heard down the street. The clean-up crew occupies the next-to-last position in the procession, with a municipal refuse truck bringing up the rear. Children gather a few remaining intact flowers. The sweepers stop to enjoy beverages and treats provided by nearby neighbors, then get on with the job.

(10) It is 3:30 PM. Visitors have emptied the street, traffic will soon be back in business. But it is just the first Sunday of Lent. There are many alfombras to be made in the days and weeks ahead as Antigua gears up for the grand finale – the Holy Week celebration.