Why Do Guatemalans Build Giant Kites to Celebrate All Saints Day?

Kite detail in Guatemala
Kite detail in Guatemala | © Steven dosRemedios / Flickr
Jack Guy

Head to Guatemala on November 1-2, and you can witness a truly unique celebration involving huge kites.

Giant kites at Sumpango, Guatemala

An unrivaled visual spectacle

In the towns of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepequez, locals spend all year constructing huge brightly-colored kites that are then raised on November 1 in honor of All Saints Day. Made from thick paper stretched over a bamboo frame, they can be as much as nine meters wide.

Kites at Sumpango, Guatemala for All Saints Day

Kites that are too big to fly

Before the conquest, they were emblazoned with messages to the dead. These days they are used to communicate peaceful thoughts for the living, and sometimes satirical political messages. Teams of young people paint the kites by hand over the course of the year, and there are competitions for the most beautiful examples.

Smaller ones can be flown, but the larger ones are too heavy. In fact it can even be a struggle to raise them to a standing position, a feat which involves many team members and some risky climbing work.

Building kites at Sumpango, Guatemala

Plan a visit now

While the teams raise their works to the sky, other revelers spread flowers over family graves on the ground. There is often live music and speeches, with the whole day more of a celebration than the somber affair many people might expect.

This is one of the most important cultural events in Guatemala, and it’s important to plan ahead if you want to visit. There are tourist shuttles from hostels in Antigua and Guatemala City, and it’s a good idea to get on one if you can. Public transport is hugely overcrowded, and it can be a nightmare to find parking if you take your own vehicle.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article