ColonialMexicoInsideandOut: sawdust carpets

Showing posts with label sawdust carpets. Show all posts

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Nicaragua

Good Friday Procession, Sutiaba, Leon Nicaragua

Nicaragua is typically not on the top of most peoples' lists to visit during Holy Week. That is a mistake because it has some of to have some of the most beautiful and dramatic observances in all of Latin America. Here are just a few photos:

Holy Figures on Display, Granada Nicaragua

Procession of Carretas, Massaya, Nicaragua

Procession, Granada Nicaragua

I invite you to experience the Nicaragua's unique Semana Santa in a series of posts that I have written. Please click on each link to see the post.

Holy Wednesday, Nandaime Nicaragua:

Participant in Holy Wednesday event, Nandaime, Nicaragua

In Nandaime a small town, each week on Holy Wednesday the ancient ritual of Holy Week Flagellants is re-enacted with an interesting twist. You can see this at:

https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2016/04/taking-hit-holy-wednesday-in-nandaime.html

Along the Road in Massaya, Nicaragua:

Transporting Processional Figure, Masaya, Nicaragua

Holy Week is a time when the sacred dimension more closely intermingles with that of everyday life in fascinating ways:

https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2016/06/sacred-meets-profane-holy-wednesday-in.html

The Huertos of Nicaragua:

Huerto, Diria Massaya, Nicaragua

Constructing a Huerto, Diria Massaya, Nicaragua

The huertas (translation- orchards), constructed during Holy Week in both Nicaragua and Guatemala are gorgeous creations using the fruits of the earth.
https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-huertos-of-guatemala-and-nicaragua.html

Sutiaba's Sawdust Carpets:

Sawdust Carpet under Construction, Sutiaba barrio, Leon Nicaragua

Like their cousins, the famed sawdust carpets of Antigua Guatemala, those of the Sutiaba barrio in Leon, Nicaragua are magnificent, filled with religious passion, but constructed in a very different way.
https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2017/05/art-as-sacrifice-sawdust-carpets-of.html

Via Crucis Aquatic:

Via Crucis Aquatic, Lake Nicaragua, Granada, Nicaragua

The absolutely most unique Holy Week event in all of Latin America is Granada's Via Crucis Aquatic, a stations of the cross done on boats.
https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2018/04/via-crucis-aquatic-granada-nicaragua.html

The Music of Holy Week:

Holy Week Procession, Granada, Nicaragua

Sound is a part of Holy Week processions, in particular, the music which is especially composed for these events.
https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-music-of-holy-week-processions.html

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Art as Sacrifice: the Sawdust Carpets of Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

We have been conditioned to think of art as something permanent, something of intrinsic value to be preserved. Yet, there are other way to think about and use art. Sometimes it is the process and intention behind the creation of a piece of art that are most important, not the outcome itself. Such works of art are made to be fleeting moments of beauty dedicated to a higher cause. The beautiful sand mandalas painstakingly created by Tibetan monks are one example. These intricate designs are ceremonially destroyed when they are finished and the sand deposited in a stream or river to bless the world around it.

Monk working on Mandala, Aspen Colorado

Ceremonial Destruction of Mandala by Monks in Aspen Colorado

Another of these perishable art-forms are the sawdust carpets created throughout Latin America during the season of Lent leading up to Easter day. (Also see post of March 25, 2016 on the carpets of Antigua, Guatemala). They typically are made the same day or evening before one of the many Lenten and Easter processions in these countries to create a sanctified surface for the feet of the holy procession.

These carpets are labor of love and religious dedication; the work is painstaking and difficult. The carpets below were constructed on a mercilessly hot Good Friday in Sutiava, a barrio or section of Leon Nicaragua. As someone explained, the work itself is a kind of meditation, done prayerfully as a personal sacrifice and gift to the glory of the procession that is to follow. It is a way to personally participate in the holiness of the event.

Group creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Early in the day the the base of the carpets, blank rectangles of dirt are laid out, ready for the carpet designs that, In Sutiava, will be made free-hand, based on some image or idea.

Bases for Sawdust Carpets, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Beginning a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

The designs are made with colored sawdust that is placed on top of the dirt base.

Creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

The process is painstaking and difficult

Creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

and, typically, groups of people collaborate on a carpet.

Creating a Sawdust Carpet, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Occasionally, in the Sutiava carpets, a pre-made stencil will be used for detail, as in the edge of the carpet below.

Carpet Stencil, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Sawdust Carpet detail, Holy Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

By contrast in Antigua Guatemala use of stencils is more wide-spread and the stencils are more elaborate, being sold commercially. Because of the stencil use the carpets have a much more geometrical look, resembllng Oriental carpets.( "Anatomy of a Sawdust Carpet" 3/25/15).

Making Stencils for Sawdust Carpets, Antigua Guatemala

Stencils for making Sawdust Carpets, Antigua Guatemala

Sawdust Carpet, Antigua Guatemala

Sawdust Carpet, Antigua Nicaragua

Sawdust Carpet, Antigua Guatemala

The carpets of Sutiava have a very different visual impact. Their religiosity is much more straightforward and devotional; they are powerful statements of personal faith. The Antigua carpets do contain religious symbolism, but the religiosity of the Sutiava carpets is personal and direct.

Sawdust Carpet, Good Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Sawdust Carpet on Good Friday, Barrio Sutiava, Leon Nicaragua

Sawdust Carpet on Good Friday, Barrio Sutiava Leon Nicaragua

As with the Tibetan mandalas, the glorious designs of the carpets are demolished as soon as the religious procession for which they were created begins. There is no sense of regret at their destruction, because they have lived their brief lives and served their purpose.

Processional carpet after its destruction, Holy Saturday, St. John Seelos Church, New Orleans, Louisiana

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Anatomy of a Sawdust Carpet: Lent in Antigua, Guatemala (includes video link)

Carpet in progress, Antigua Guatemala

The sawdust carpets that grace the streets and churches of Antigua during the season of Lent (Ash Wednesday-Easter Day) are as beautiful as any valuable oriental rug that you can find. But these magnificent carpets have a very short life-span, sometimes only a few hours, although those created in churches for the vigils of the season are on display longer. The carpets in Antigua's streets are created by the residents and businesses; if a procession passes by your home or business, you have the option of creating a carpet in honor of it. Sometimes these carpets involve months and months or planning while others are created much more spontaneously. Holy Week ( Palm Sunday-Easter Day) is the time when there are the most processions and greatest number of carpets.

Sawdust Carpet detail, Antigua Guatemala

As exquisite as these carpets are, they are not meant to be decorations and exist for one reason only: to be walked on by the feet of those bearing holy images in procession. All processions start in a church and then follow an hours-long route throughout the city's streets, often late into the night. In the course of its route each of the processions you see below walked over many carpets that were created specifically for it. The act of the float-carriers walking over the carpet is considered to bless the carpet and the whole making of carpets is, at heart, a sacrificial act offered to God.

Holy Saturday Procession, San Felipe de Jesus Church, Antigua Guatemala

Holy Week Procession, Antigua Guatemala

All of the carpets begin with an empty space either on the street or a church floor. A rectangle of sand is spread on the surface to provide a base for the carpet. The designs that will be laid on top of it are intricate and precision is essential.

Sawdust Carpet under construction, Antigua Guatemala

Designs are not done freehand, but use pre-cut stencils of heavy cardboard that are used in various combinations to create the intricate geometry of the carpets. The stencils are quite costly and good quality ones are cut by hand, not machine and are meant to be used year after year.

Stencil for Sawdust Carpet, Antigua Guatemala

Making Stencils for Sawdust Carpets, Antigua Guatemala

The stencils are laid on the sawdust base and colored sawdust is applied to form intricate designs that in many cases look like actual oriental carpets.

Sawdust Carpet under construction, Antigua Guatemala

Eventually the carpet you see under construction will have a very densely patterned surface and look something like the carpet below. After the sawdust is laid the carpets are sprayed with water to set the design.

Sawdust Carpet, Antigua Guatemala

Carpets are created within churches during the time of the vigils which are held to honor the statues that will be used in procession. These carpets range from the relatively simple to the very complex as seen in the photo below in Antigua's La Merced Church. This carpet was created for a velacion, a vigil, and remains up for a period of time, perhaps a week or two. The scene in front of the religious figures are made to resemble a garden, huerto in Spanish.
The fruits, vegetables and candles are brought to the church as an offering before the scene is created.

Sawdust Carpet and Huerto for vigil, La Merced Church, Antigua Guatemala

All of the carpets will be destroyed the instant the feet of those in the procession hit it and there is no sense that these carpets are meant to be preserved. A carpet is made to be walked on by a processions and the holy images that are carried in it.

Sawdust Carpet after procession, San Felipe de Jesus Church, Antigua Guatemala

I invite you to view my video of these carpets at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXvvBSCvSA

Not all of Antigua's carpets are made of sawdust; some are made of plant materials
and this type pre-dates the Spanish conquest. You can still see sacramental ground-coverings of pine needles in small, isolated Mayan villages. The fourth carpet down combines colored sawdust and flowers.