Con Permiso

Posted on April 03, 2010 By Julie

Director of Photography, Jon Speyers, reports on Semana Santaimage

Two AM.  The Travelscope crew jaunts through Guatemala City’s urban streets.  We’re headed for a party hosted by a local historian whose home is adorned with thousands of 16th and 17th century catholic icons, we make a pit-stop to hang with a group of break-dancing teens.  Joseph, in his hooded Guatemalan sweatshirt picks up a new move before breaking out a few of his own.  And the locals cheer in applause!

In these moments, our relations transcend culture.  During Semana Santa in Guatemala, transcendence is everywhere.  Catholic imagery and countless devoted individuals tell the Easter story better than words.  Making our way through the crowds, I repeat the phrase “Con permiso,” only to be continually struck at the peoples’ willingness to clear the way.  Being over six feet, I stand far above the masses here in Antigua, but observing the faith and consequential emotion of the Guatemalan people, it is easy to feel like a spiritual dwarf.  I’ve found Semana Santa in Guatemala to be a distinctly foreign experience, yet entirely relatable and overwhelmingly heartfelt.

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