Author Archives: galkusar

by | Leave a comment

Thingyan – The Burmese Water Festival

“Happy New Year!” a young monk in saffron tunic laughed and poured a whole bucket of water on my head. I received a few more best wishes and blessing like this when I was walking down Mahabandoola Street toward the center of Yangon, Burma’s largest city. On the square near the Sule Pagoda the large crowd of people was generously sprayed with firefighter’s water cannons.

I came to Burma, or to Myanmar, as this Southeast Asian country is officially called since 1989, in April 2009, just one day before the celebration of Thingyan – The Burmese Water festival, which takes place in honor of the Buddhist New Year. The Buddhist New Year is tied to the lunar calendar and is celebrated in March or April. Traditional religious holiday with a deep purifying content at the onset of the New Year is also multi-day celebration with a lot of water. Many stages are set for music groups performances on the streets. On every stage, there are some pipes used to spray water all around. The cars with windows down and full of people are passing by and are completely drenched with water. As well as are the nearby standing police officers, maintain the order. However, nobody bothers and all are having good time. “April is the cruelest month in Burma regarding weather”, as George Orwell paraphrased poet T.S. Eliot in his book The Burmese Days, which describes the last days of the British colonial empire. Temperatures in April are often above 40 °C. Tropical downpours at noon could chill the atmosphere but on the other hand increase the air humidity. So be prepared for 24 hours of sauna if you visit Burma in April! It is no wonder why Burmese men wear skirts called longy. Women use thanaka, ground bark of the tree roots, to protect their skin from frying sun. Thanaka protects the skin and moisturizes it. I didn’t need neither longy nor thanaka, as on every step I made, I got a splash of water. As a foreigner, which in Burma at that time was rare bird, I called a lot of attention. Often, they made a special effort and poured me with bucket full of ice cold water. But how could I blame this friendly people with large, sincere smiles? After all, more water on Thingyan you get, more happiness and blessing you will have in the New Year. When I finally came back in the hotel to change my soaking wet clothes, there was a fresh wreath of jasmine flowers hung above my bed, which gave a pleasant scent to my room.
Photo Gallery

by | Leave a comment

Alfombras

Traditionally, the alfombras (carpets) are made of colored sawdust or sand, fruits, vegetables and flowers. Symbolically they represent clothes and palm branches which Jews threw on the road before Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, as he rode on the donkey into Jerusalem one week before the feast of unleavened bread (Passover). There Jesus Christ was betrayed, judged, flogged and crucified. Motives of the alfombras vary from religious symbolism to pure abstract patterns. Each family makes an alfombra in front of its house and competes with its neighbors in its size, appearance and material. Sometimes several families from the neighboring houses make one large alfombra together in front of their houses. While making the alfombras, socializing, cooperation and assistance, is more important than a victory over neighbors. Making the alfombras is time-consuming and requires many hours of detailed, exhausting, filigree skilful and patient work, which shows result in the final product. The work takes place in not too pleasant positions, like kneeling on the knees or sitting on the hard rock floor. But when the procession passes the alfombras, several hours of work turns into a bunch of mixed sawdust and flower residues in a few minutes. However, since the town is often windy, immediately after the procession comes a team of street cleaners and sweep the remains of the alfombras. So the wind can not blow the dust all over the place.
Photo Gallery
Video
Articles:
Antigua Gvatemala – Velikonočne alfombre (SL, Reporter, št.17, 2011)
Veliki teden v Antigui Gvatemali (SL, Ognjišče, 5.2011)
Postne procesije v Antigui Gvatemali (SL, Svet in Ljudje, 4.2011)
Postne procesije v Antigui Gvatemali (SL, Ognjišče, 4.2011)

by | Leave a comment

Venezuela

This time more photos and less words. Enjoy!
Photo Gallery
Video – Isla de Margarita (2013, Venezuela)
Video – Fisherman of Juan Griego (2013, Venezuela)
Articles:
Praznična miza v Venezueli – hallaca / Festive food in Venezuela – Hallaca (SL/EN 12/01.2014/15)
Zavitki, ki nasitijo vse, brez razlike (SL, 14.9.2014)
Za božič se speče pan de jamon (SL, 21.12.2014)
Venezuela – Socializem 21. stoletja leto po Chavezovi smrti (SL, št.12, 2014)
La Isla de Margarita (SL, št.151, 9.2014)
Med venezuelskimi zlatokopi (SL, 5.2015)