December 2011: Cultural Celebration

After our visit to Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan, we ended our third day in Xela by attending a cultural celebration that was held in conjunction with the dedication of the second temple in Guatemala, the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala Temple. About 2,400 youth from congregations all over the temple district area told the history of the area through music, song, and dance while wearing costumes unique to each of the various cultural groups in the area. 

The performers begin to fill the arena as J-rod and I take our seats and try to stay warm (as the evening went on it go increasingly cooler--BRR!).  

All of the costumes used for this performance were required to be authentic, so many of them were hand-made. They were all beautiful!

The soccer arena where the celebration was held is located just below the temple. What a beautiful view!

While everyone gathered, a group of beautiful young women played prelude music on marimbas. The chromatic marimba is said to have been developed in the city of Quetzaltenango way back in 1894.  The group of young women had not previously known how to play marimba, but worked very diligently to learn and perform for this celebration. By the sound of the beautiful music, you would not have known that this was a new skill for them. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency presided over the celebration. President Uchtdorf was accompanied by his wife Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife Sister Kathy Sue Andersen. Also in attendance were Elder Enrique R. Falabella, Elder James B. Martino, Elder Carlos H. Amado, and Elder Larry W. Gibbons and their wives.  J-rod and I met Elder and Sister Gibbons during our layover in Texas before flying to Guatemala. As it turned out, we flew to Guatemala on the same flight. It was nice to visit with them!

Elder Enrique R. Falabella, Area President of the Central America Area, conducted the meeting.  Both President Uchtdorf and President Falabella spoke at the beginning of the celebration.  

The youth performed sixteen different dances representing the history, culture, and people of the area. 

1. Baile: Herencia Maya Quiché

(Estaca Coatepeque)

2. Baile: Costumbres y tradiciones de mi tierra

(Distritos Sololá y Quiché)

3. Baile: La danza del venado

(Estaca Mazatenango)

4. Baile: Estampa de la conquista de moros y cristianos. 

Danza de los Micos. Palo trenzado. Danza del Torito

(Estaca Momstenango)

5. Son de trajes típicos

(Estaca El Bosque)

6. Baile: El Barreño

(Estaca Las Palmas, Retalhuleu)

7. Serenata Huehuetecas

(Estaca Zaculeu, Huehuetenango)

8. Baile de Las Cintas de todos santos

(Estaca Calvario, Huehuetenango)

9. Baile de Los Pescadores

(Estaca Retalhuleu, Retalhuleu)

10. Estampa de La Feria de Primavera

(Estaca San Marcos)

11. Baile Viva San Marcos

(Estaca Malacatán)

12. Son de la tía Guina

(Estaca Totonicapán)

13. Vals La flor del café

(Estaca San Felipe)

14. Baile de Los Barriletes

(Estaca San Pedro, San Marcos)

15. El Ferrocarril de Los Altos

(Estaca Quetzaltenango)

16. Luna de Xelajú

(Estaca Quetzaltenango, Oeste)

All evening my emotions were pretty close to the surface. I was so very grateful to have been able to come on this trip with J-rod, for the opportunity to spend time with family I hadn't seen in ages, to attend this celebration in my Dad's hometown, and to be able to go the dedication of the temple the next morning.  Throughout the celebration my thoughts were with loved ones that weren't there with J-rod and I: my parents, my siblings, and many other family members who couldn't be there for various reasons. I remembered the excitement my Dad and members of our family felt when the temple was announced back in December of 2006 and how much my Dad looked forward to returning to Xela when the time came for the temple dedication.  Even though I felt pretty certain my Dad was watching from the other side, I still felt a great pang of longing to be by his side during this special weekend.  

I did a pretty good job all evening keeping my tears at bay until the last two performances, then the waterworks started and there was no stopping the tears that flowed so easily. Whenever I hear El Ferrocarril de Los Altos or Luna de Xelajú on marimba, I am instantly transported back to Sunday afternoons when I was a little girl.  We would come home from church and my mom would fix a delicious meal for our family while my Dad and Tio A would whistle or sing these two tunes or we would listen to a record of marimba.  Then we'd watch a Mexican variety show called Siempre en Domingo with host Raúl Velasco.  It was through this show that I was exposed to many musicians from all over the world and got to "travel" to many parts of Mexico, Spain, and Central America.  It was a great way to spend time as a family.  When I get especially "home sick" for times and people gone by, you can find me listening to marimba.

I'm grateful for the memories we have of that evening and for all who made it possible for us to be there to experience it!