Semana Santa Weekend

Well, I haven't done a whole lot since I wrote last but I think that continuing to write and talk about my experience here is important, even if I simply have a small story about my host mom. It's good to get it all out. It's therapeutic. Today, however, I did do something really interesting. This weekend is Semana Santa in Spain. Which if you don't know that that is I am happy to take a minute and explain, especially since if you just Google pictures, you're probably going to get freaked out that it's some crazy racist ritual. The reason I say that? Well Google images for yourself. I daire you.

Essentially, Semana Santa in the Holy Week in Spain. It's beautiful if you understand what's going on and why. People march in processions with giant sculptures of Jesus and other religious figures, incense is lit in thuribules (the swinging lantern of burning incense suspended from chains), and lit candles are carried and such. They do all of these traditions in commemoration of the Passion of Christ and it is always celebrated the week before Easter. The most intriguing part of all of these marches are not the music that is being played, or the pacing all around town in loops... The most interesting part is their dress. It's not weird to them but to us and our history, it's very strange. The following picture depicts their dress.

The fact that it resembles KKK members is really what's strange but these costumes have been used for years and centuries. So it's not weird, simply just a different aspect of culture, which is a good thing because learning and respecting other's ways of life (and learning Spanish) is why I'm here after all. I was looking at them weird but they must have been looking at me weird because I was a giraffe chilling in the streets of Spain. I can't even imagine how weird it must have been to see ME there!

I asked my host mom's eldest daughter (who is a grown woman) what the different colors meant. The first group was all white, the second white with light-blue silk caps, the third was the group above, the next was red and white, then red and a dark navy blue. She told me that each church has volunteers that come to represent their church. People (and children even) offer to spend their time all week to walk, play the drums or another instrument, and dress up to wear and represent the color of their church. It was really interesting. Each group had flags that held the name of their church, and most groups had those that carried (on their shoulders) the large sculptures. An example is the following.

They have big white tents all over the plazas in Santander and inside are these massively decorated and beautiful works of art. It was fantastic. In bigger cities and in the south their processions are a lot bigger. The different groups would walk through the town, and stop at their tents and pick up the different sculptures and groups would carry them. I also got to see (according to my host mom) the most beautiful and important sculpture. 

Apparently this one is always on the main street and has never been lead into the smaller streets. My host mom's daughter said that in all her life, walking right next to it was the closest she has ever been (her mom too). In all her life. Her daughter was quite excited. The sculpture had a large train behind her and the entire part that is gold is not paint. I learned that everything that is gold on her was real. Her dress was even made out of real gold. Here's what it looked like.

There was a guy that got in the way, but you get a sense of how amazing the site was. Truly amazing. Learning a lot here in Spain, it really is a beautiful and amazing place.