The Tecnico Maya Field Trip and the Antorcha

This past Saturday, the 15th of September, was independence day for Guatemala. In accordance with tradition the Tecnico Maya school took a field trip to a site of national pride and history during the week before the holiday. My fellow volunteers and I were fortunate enough to accompany the fifty or so students, teachers and parents to the ruins of the Quiche Empire, near present-day Chichicastenango.
As part of the trip, the school rented a bus and we all met at 4:30am in the town center to head off on our big day. The reason for leaving so early is that the day before Independence Day in Guatemala it is tradition for the people, all across the country, to particpate in something they call the Antorcha, which means torch in Spanish. Essentially, people run with torches in hand along the highways of Guatemala for great distances on this day, passing the torch to a new runner when one gets tired. We were planning on running through three cities, at least 20km, after our visit to the Maya ruins in the morning.
The Quiche ruins proved to be interesting despite being less than impressive architechturally in comparison to some of the other well-preserved marvels of the Maya in Guatemala. Kids played soccer in the central area between great mounds of dirt, rock and stone which made up the edifices of the ancient city. The Tecnico Maya teachers gave a few lectures explaining the history of the Quiche Empire and the significance of certian Maya sites and altars on the grounds. We entered sacred caves in which Maya sacerdotes still practice their religion and rituals.
In the afternoon, after leaving the Quiche ruins it was off to modern-day Quiche for lunch and the start of our Antorcha run. We started in the town center, where we recieved the sacred flame from government officials, which is meant to represent Guatemalan liberty and patriotism. After filling the paint-can stuffed with rags and attached to a tree branch, which I had constructed in the tradition style to serve as my torch, with diesel fuel, I stuck it in the official flame, we took some ceremonial photos and were off.
We ran through the streets of Quiche, Chichicastenango and Comalapa, about a total of only 15km. The bus generally followed behind, rolling along very slowly and waiting for those who straggle behind and tire quickly. The streets on this day are filled with people observing and participating. Those who do not run in the Antorcha make sure the runners stay refreshed. So from balconies, roof-tops, overpasses, bridges and hillsides comes a barrage of water, clean and dirty. The whole Antorcha tradition can be summed up as a nation-wide marathon in the midst of a nation-wide water fight.
We ran into Comalapa at about 8pm in a steady rain and with the applause and cheers of on-lookers. In spite of the rain, we took our victory lap through the city-center and then retired our flames in the Tecnico Maya schoolyard. It was an amazing time for both the kids and us volunteers. For many of the kids it was their first time to Quiche and to the ruins. It was also the first time many of them had participated in the spectacle of the Antorcha as runners, which every Guatemala seems to take great pride in. For us volunteers, it was an amazing opportunity to feel part of the Guatemalan cultural fabric for a moment, instead of simply being regular foreigners, travelers and gringos.
A very big thanks to all who helped make this field trip possible. I am extremly greatful that we could make these great memories happen for the wonderful kids of Tecnico Maya.