The Fiesta for Santo Tomas in Chichicastenango Photo Gallery by Ann Murdy at pbase.com

The Fiesta for Santo Tomas in Chichicastenango

From December 13th - 21st the village of Chichicastenango in the Guatemala highlands celebrates it's patron saint, Santo Tomas. The
celebration includes dancing such as the Baile Del Torito, Danza de Conquista, the Palo Volador (men dropping from a sixty foot pole), the Dance of the Tzjolaj, processions lead by the Cofradia, fire bombs going off twenty four hours a day, marimba music, live bands, a castillo and concluding with a evening display of fireworks on the 2lst of December. There are 14 cofradias in Chichi that are responsible for the fiesta. On top of this there is the Sunday and Thursday markets which add more activity to this colorful town.

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Cofradia man	Anda with San Jose	Celebration	Blessing with San Jose
Behind Anda	Burning copal	Cofradia man with chalice	Cofradia man with rope
Cofradia prayer	Cofradia Lady	Cofradia with Santo Tomas	Dance of the Tzjolaj
Conversation of cofradia men	Gathering of Andas	Lifting anda	Morning procession with Santo
Lady in Cofradia	Man in Cofradia	Moving anda	Pensive mood
Preparing Offering	Prayer	Preparing candles	Processional anda leaving square
Procession with copal	Processional Anda	Processional anda with Santo Tomas	Smoke from fire bombs
San Sebastian	Santo Tomas	Swinging Incense Burner	Turning corner
Adding more candles	Cofradia procession	Blessing family	Following procession
The Grand Finale	Offering of Red Candles	Marimba Musician	Dangling
Palo Volador with Church	Atop Palo Volador	Monkey doing Palo Volador	Pole Climbers
Up Up and Away	Swinging	Ready to roll	Tigre doing Palo Volador
Dancers with scarves	El Negrito in morning light	Dancer with rattle	Baile del Torito
Dramatic Masked Dancer	Baile del Torito in morning	Dancer with white fringe	Masked dancer
Two dancers	El Negrito	The Master	Rattle Up
Couple	Dancer with headwrap	End of Dance	Dancer with star on cape
Group Leader	Moving forward	Masked Dancers	San Pedro la Laguna Dancer
Bells	Folkoric Dancer from San Pedro La Laguna	Line-up of men	The Line-Up
Gathering	Mother & Child	Calla lily vendor	Flower vendors
Flower Vendor	Market day	Shopping	Conversing
Fruit vendor	Lady with baby	Tomato vendor	Hair ribbons
Making tortillas	Looking at castillo	Street Life	Carrying bundle
Off to Market	Man from Solola shopping in Chichi	Walking down the street	To market to market
Walking	Vendor from Panajachel in Chichi	Stepping down	Vendor from Solola in Chichi
Blankets of color	Woven hats	Textiles	Flowers & produce for sale
Best Friends	Parrot with fuschia	Macaw	Los Dos Papagayos
Red Macaw	Parrot	Painted backdrop with macaws	Lake Atitlan
Angeles y la cruz	Un Lugar de Descansar	Color composition	Coral and turquoise
Crosses against sky	La Ciudad de los Colores	Mucho colores	Panteon
Glass bottles	Castillo & Cotton Candy	La Luz del Castillo	Feliz Navidad

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comment |

Guest		11-Jan-2008 21:24
What a wonderful gift you have of being able to capture so much intensity of color, emotion, and life. It was good to see you in Tortugas again this year. Next time you go to Guatemala, take me with you. Dario

Ana Livingston Paddock		11-Jan-2008 19:20
Dear Ann, Thaks for sending the great fotos. What you captured is so full and over the top. Last time I was there for the celibration was in 1972. Its great to see it hasnt changed much, just more so. Ana Livingston Paddock

goldiegarcia		11-Jan-2008 08:32
Ann, I have studied photography. Your "eye' is seriously unique. Each photo I study and wonder how ;you should be "discovered". our work is simply dazzling. I seriously enjoy each and every shot. goldie garcia

Chip		07-Jan-2008 22:40
Hello, Ann. I certainly understand what you mean by "colorful". I enjoyed the photos from above. Did you have access to a balcony? They evoke a real feeling for being there-can almost hear the bells jingling and jangling. Love the men's shirts! Always like it when men are more colorful. The rope swing looks fun. Thank you for sharing, Ann. I always enjoy visiting places through your photographs. (Of course I also enjoy sharing them with you in person.) Chip

Barbara Mauldin		05-Jan-2008 16:29
Hi Ann: Fabulous photographs. Thank you for putting all of this together and sharing it with us. Guatemala is so rich in color and festivity and Chichicastenango is particularly great. Barbara

Guest		04-Jan-2008 15:00
Thanks for having lunch with me yesterday. You all left, and I didn't know it. I went outside and you were all gone :( Loved the photos, and it was so easy for me to study them this way. I knew it would be. You are so talented bobbie

Tom Aageson		03-Jan-2008 18:22
Hi Ann, I feel like I am there with you. You have captured the sacredness of the celebration. What beautiful photographs...all for my tocayo! Tom

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