Sawdust Carpets

Hondurans have some very interesting Easter traditions. One that is practiced in Tegucigalpa is the sawdust carpets. The main catholic church closes down about ten blocks around the church to use for processionals throughout holy week. On Thursday night artists gather along these streets to design a sawdust carpet for the processions to march upon on Good Friday. All night long they work. They bring bags and bags of colored sawdust. They use stencils to design each carpet. They look absolutely beautiful. Then on Good Friday the processions walk across these sawdust carpets and they are destroyed.
Hundreds of people follow the processions. On Good Friday they re-enact the crucifixion. Different Catholic churches will the be the scene for different events of Good Friday. 
Some of the stencils that will be used to design the sawdust carpets.
 Laying out the base for one of the carpets.
 Men come along and spray the carpets with water so the sawdust doesn't blow away.
Some of the beautiful carpets. They stretch on for several blocks.
Some are quite detailed.
 The next they will be destroyed during the processions.


2 comments:

WOW! These are Gorgeous! What a neat privilege to be able to witness this part of their culture!

Kristen said...

Wow! Those are really pretty! I could have never imagined making carpets like that out of saw dust!Sounds like their traditions are very interesting and unique! Very cool though and I bet it is really neat to experience all kinds of different parts of their culture there! Someday I will also get that chance! For now though I just can't wait to finally be able to go on a missions trip!