I’m a Dog
September 9th, 2014The shaman, dressed in traditional knee-length pants, embroidered with local birds, handed me a carved box with a ceramic dog inside. He motioned for me to hold it up to the gods, or rather, life-sized statues of Mary, Baby Jesus, Gaspar and San Antonio. They had familiar faces (well, except for Gaspar), but their attire was more festive than usual. Instead of biblical robes, they wore frilly skirts, a variety of scarves and neckties, and an array of colorful beads. The scene was reminiscent of Mardi Gras and Saint Anthony was looking quite hip, but we weren’t taking part in a sacrilegious parade–we were in the middle of an initiation ceremony in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, the capital of the Tzutujil Maya Nation and the largest Indigenous town in Central America.
Lake Atitlan
