The Carnegie Maya III: Carnegie Institution of Washington Notes on Middle American Archaeology and Ethnology, 1940-1957

81. Easter Ceremonies at San Antonio Palopo, Guatemala (1947)

319 N o t e s o f M i d d l e A m e r i c a n A r c h a e o l o g y a n d E t h n o l o g y Carnegie Institution of Washington Division of Historical Research No. 81 February 10, 1947 Easter Ceremonies at San Antonio palopo, Guatemala Elsie McDougall black gaban (cloak worn as poncho, emergency sleeve lengths joined at the wrist and dangling toward the rear), which covered all but the red sleeves of shirts made of the same material as the woman’s huipil; a black-and-white chequered woolen rodillera (wrapped kilt or apron) covering wide, knee-length cotton drawers of home-woven, striped cloth; and a red sash similar to the one used by women. Completing the dress was a fine-striped red kerchief (at times the man’s sweat cloth or scarf) wound around the head, the two ends somewhat rakishly protruding. Permission was graciously granted to attend the celebrations, and I was assigned the padlocked schoolhouse as a residence. About 8 a.m. on Holy Saturday I passed by the juzgado. The building was decorated with pine boughs, but the door of the main room was closed. The young alguaciles, before the wide-spaced wooden grills of the two cells, were keeping company with their incarcerated friends. These last were youths who had been arrested because of brawling and drunkenness in premature celebration of the fiesta. Traditionally, only the old men were supposed to get intoxicated on such occasions. The young men were expected to stay sober to look after their elders. The prisoners were happy, and were not to be deprived of their part in the festivities. In each cell one young man played a mouth organ, to the music of which his two or three fellow inmates managed to dance in a constricted circle. Evidently their crimes were not taken too seriously, for the prisoners were later released to attend the function in the church. The small village of San Antonio Palopo is situated on the northeast shore of Lake Atitlan, a mile or two east of Santa Catarina Palopo. The villagers, Cakchiquel Maya, have no canoes; except for fish weirs, of stone or sod, their interests are in the land. Their principal industry is agriculture; their main crops are maize and anise. They cultivate every possible patch or pocket of soil on the steep slopes, at the base of which their village nestles. At the time of my visit (1929) there was only one non-Indian in the village. He was Ernesto Cabrera, who filled the sundry duties of secretario, public scribe, and schoolmaster, and owned the only beast of burden in the community. The church dominates the village, and from it one has a magnificent view of the whole length of the lake. Various excellent photographs of the village and its inhabitants were published by Mr. and Mrs. Maudslay in their beautiful book A Glimpse at Guatemala. The only other building of importance is the juzgado (courthouse), which consists of one long room flanked by lock-up cells (Fig. 81.1). On arriving at the village, I went to the juzgado to seek permission to attend the Easter celebrations. The alguaciles, who serve as village police and do any odd job required for the municipality, were lounging on the porch, holding their leather-thonged batons, insignia of their rank. Inside, the town councillors, about ten middle aged or old men, were seated on a bench which ran along the back wall. The alcalde (mayor) was at one end with his interpreter, Juan, beside him. All the men, as well as the alguaciles, wore typical antoñero dress consisting of a rusty- 81.1. San Antonio Palopo: (a) Juan, the officiating priest, after the service; note palm, missal, and violin; (b) the courthouse and thatched shelter for the bells; the water in the fountain is piped from the mountain behind the village; the church is to the left. Easter Ceremonies at San Antonio Palopo, Guatemala 321 The festivities centered around the two huts or lodges belonging to the two cofradias (religious brotherhoods). In line with each cofradia but was another in which the women prepared food. Each cofradia, too, had its own sweat house. The members of the principal cofradia had hired a marimba from Chicacao, which the four marimbistas played...