the curandera Maya Rosa Alvarez
October 23
My friend Rosa invited me to his house for the Fiesta birthday Maximon / San Simon.
Before you go take some precautions: a taxi driver informed me that the area where my friend lives curandera (a colony just outside the popular Ciudad de Guatemala) is definitely "dangerous." In fact, many taxi drivers refuse to bring customers in that location, because long ago two of their colleagues were happily taken a revolver from the festive locals. Moral of the story: I went back to the store with taxis riddled all beautiful and a mad desire to change professions ...
I then wearing only the money necessary, I leave the hotel credit cards and passport, and I carry around an identity card with the card inside of my hotel.
But what are, in general, the precautions to take when visiting Central America? Well, apart from the usual stuff (not to attend dangerous neighborhoods at night, do not show off rolex from 15,000 €, not wearing jewelry on him, etc.. Etc..) Things I do to avoid the troubles are mainly two:
1) always good to look where you step, because the roads and sidewalks are full of very deep holes, and it risks distorting or a fracture every three steps (and this is not a joke!)
2) in the bus I do not ever sit behind the driver. Just in case it has not paid protection money to the local mafia, you may speak with him to share the generous bursts of gunfire that the henchmen of the neighborhood boss sent him a gift. So I sit in the middle of the bus, so in case of armed aggression not participate in the fiesta first-person ...
Thankfully the taxi driver who takes me da Rosa is not afraid, and eventually managed to miraculously find my friend's house, passing through hills and dirt roads full of potholes.
the street where Rose lives
reaching his destination, I am welcomed joyfully by the family of Rose, a handful of children and six grandchildren. People smile and bright eyes that exude happiness. The pipinara is unleashed, and the children play and enjoy a world.
Rosa hugs me with joy, we met last May in San Andrés Itzapa, when he celebrated the first ceremony for me Maya of my life.
Now here she is celebrating the birthday of Maximon, the ancient Mayan gods disguised as a Christian saint (San Simon). In fact, the feast of St. Simon will be October 28, but Rose has a few days earlier.
Do to my friend the bottle of whiskey I brought a gift to the Saint celebrated, and she leads me into the room where he had his espiritual mesa, the altar with statues of Maximon / San Simon.
the altar Rosa
understand the fly serving the bid and ask the curandera to send one of his grandchildren to buy some things for me. I stretch a note to a child of the house, and that after a while back with fruit and cigarettes.
I put some bills in your pocket the dress of a statue of Rosa Maximon and put the fruit and cigarettes on the altar. He introduces me to "his" Holy << hermanito San Simon, this is our friend Federico. E 'come to see you from afar. We brought the whiskey, cigarettes, fruit and cash offer. Please, in the name of Almighty God (of Heaven Corazon Corazon de la Tierra y), protect it and protect his journey in life, protect his family and friends. Protect your work, protect it from enemies and the health, prosperity and joy. Let's not miss anything ... >>.
From behind a shoulder of the largest statue of the Holy peeps a mouse: he looks at me puzzled and I watch it dismayed. Obviously it is a house mouse, because Rose did not pay the slightest attention. The curandera
Sactic Cesar introduces me, a friend of his Mayan priest who celebrated the ritual with her.
the Maya priest Cesar Cesar Sactic
he looks nice and friendly. I am inspired confidence immediately.
ask permission from the priest and wearing my bandana Maya.
The ceremony today is twofold: a fire limpia (cleansing) followed by a fire security and prosperity. The two officiating prepare the first ritual, putting on the ground balls of copal resin.
the copal to the first sacrificial fire
Cesar Rosa and prepare the first fire. The participants (including me) and rub all over the body of black and white candles, the sigaroni (here called pure ) and fresh eggs. This is the ritual of limpia, spiritual purification.
step, the pure on my aura
Grandma Rosa makes a limpia on all her grandchildren
While officiating recite the prayers in the Mayan language, we fire the candles, puros and eggs that we rubbed on the body
the first sacrificial fire
All they start smoking puros. Eventually I give in and turn one was me. In short, an age-old ritual is well worth a sigarone, no? Problem: I am 28 years that I do not smoke, and I run the risk of really put me to puke like a baby in a boat on rough seas.
Rosa corrupts and I smoke the pure
mercifully For me the coup de grace, Rosa I brings a nice cool glass of cola. Sipped some and I realize too late that is cut with the rum. I am 28 years that I do not drink alcohol, and now I run the risk that I bring back to the hotel by ambulance.
My head begins to spin, turn, turn ... between nicotine and rum soaked spittle of twenty centimeters long and I'm afraid to go KO. Eventually, though, the powerful energy generated by the ceremony to sustain me and I can not end up horizontal. Back shiny without any problem.
smoke in front of the pure the sacrificial fire
Così fan tutte ...
... and so does Rose
meditating before the fire (Very difficult to say: me back to the hotel in an ambulance or be able to give me a behavior? )
After the first part of the ceremony, passing to the preparation and when the second fire, the security and prosperity.
the preparation of the second fire
fire security and prosperity
fire on
Cesar Rosa and pray before the fire
Rosa asked me to sing some song. I take the guitar and the usual attack Pinch Tarantata. Oh well, maybe this has nothing to do with a pipe ceremony Maya, but basically this is a ritual dance, no? However, people like, and I hope you like it also celebrated, hermanito San Simon :-)!
singing for Maximon (1)
singing for Maximon (2)
Rosa creates a circle of energy
At this point, goes to his curandera mesa espiritual and take a statue of San Simon.
Rosa San Simon
door knob, one by one around the fire, puffing censer with incense and praying for our personal matters.
Cesar and the censer
in my little I give him down too ...
the birthday: Happy Birthday San Simon!
by your curanderos Maya ...
by your friend coming from far away ...
by the grandchildren of Rose ...
... and by all de er cucuzzaro !
The ceremony comes to an end. A great demand for public pick up the guitar and singing "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday San Simon."
Let the group photo, then have lunch.
two curanderos Maya and a parking Roman
family photos
Rosa word spread that the practical sanacion . Ouch! Ouch! It forms the usual row of ailments that you want to be treated. We work one on one and take off a bit of pain ... I think I finished when word spread that I read the cards well. He formed another line, and I have to immerse myself suddenly in the usual mess of others (love, luck, money, health ...). Last but not least: I risbattono guitar in hand and I say in the Mayan language is << pija guitar and Sing us what you are 'disgrace. Laughing faces, so that six bono does just that and you coast gniente nun! >>.
the end and I greet you all away with Cesar. Tonight I will sleep at his home and tomorrow we will go together to visit a cave loooong special ...
The Mayan curandera Rosa Alvarez invites me at her place for a birthday party in honor of Maximon / San Simon. She lives in the countryside outside Ciudad de Guatemala, with Several children and a sweet gang of grandchildren. I just love them!
Rose shows me the altar of the house and intriduces me to "her San Simon". Following the Mayan tradition, I offer to the Saint whiskey, fruits, cigarettes and a bit of cash.
I meet the Mayan priest Cesar Sactic, invited by Rosa for the ritual.
Today we have a double Mayan ritual: a fire to cleans ourselves and a second fire for protection and prosperity. Before the ritual we pass candles, cigars and eggs on our bodies, to perform a "limpia" (spiritual cleansing). After that, we offer those items to the fire, to feed it.
We smoke "puros" and offer incense, while the two curanderos recite their prayers.
They ask me to sing some songs, and I do my best with my voice and guitar.
The energy is VERY STRONG! At the end we sing "Happy Birthday to You" to San Simon and have lunch.
Rosa asks me to heal some people with my hands-on work, and at the end they look happy!
Time to go: tonight I will stay at Cesar´s place: tomorrow we will visit a very special Mayan cave...
0 comments:
Post a Comment