Día del Independencía

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Whoo-hooo! It's INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Even though it's September 15th it might as well be the 4th of July as HOT as it is. The feel of the festivities here were also similare to our summer celebrations in the States. Although we didn't have the spectacular night-time fireworks, the POP POP POP of firecrackers did resound through the streets the entire week. To me they sounded more like a gun firing! Took me a bit to stop jumping every time I heard them. 😊

And we had PARADES!!! Not just one, but three different days of them! The desfiles consist soley of school students. No fire trucks, floats, old cars, or ponies. Just students. For the public school in Copán the older half of the 1,000 students (4th, 5th, and 6th grades) got to march. For Mayatan, all of the 300 kids got to be in the parade. Most of the students marched in formation with their class, but we also had a band with drums and cymbols, baton girls, and the honor roll students that got to hold banners and flags in the front of the parade.

The marching and drumming is taken so seriously that the schools practice weeks (or even months) in advance. Since Mayatan is on the US school schedule, we just had 2 weeks to prepare. Nearly every morning the whole school lined up and "marched" down the dirt road for a good half a mile or so to the "Bird Park", and then "marched" back to school. The band played a beat over and over that ended up staying in my head 24/7 (at first I thought it was really great, but after hearing it for the thousandth time it got just the tiniest bit annoying!) 😊

Still, during our practices I had fun giving marching tips to all the classes (since I don't have a class of my own I got to spread myself around). "Shoulders back!" I'd bark, military sergant like. "Chest out! Knees high! Elbows bent!" I marched up and down the ranks keeping up the troops' spirits. But after the umptinth time going down toward the "Bird Park" even I lost some enthusiasm. So I switched roles and practiced with the baton girls! That was a lot more spunkier than the "left, left, left, right, lift" drill. I was kind of hoping they'd surprise me the morning of the parade with my own silver and gold skirted outfit and baton...but no such luck.

The town was decked out with white and blue banners and flags strung throughout the Central Park and above the city streets. All of the tiny triangles and banners were cut from plastic and stapled to ropes by hand. I was amazed how simple "homemade" decorations created such a festive look. (A couple days before the parades I had helped to cut and stapel the plastic flags at Mayatan. All the schools work to help make the towns decorations.)

Mayatan and the public school, Juan Ramon, marched to the Central Park at 8am for the initial cerimonies. Very patriotic (and long...and hot). Finally the parade got underway and we all marched throughout the city, making a large circle through the cobblestone streets. Even with all the sweat and hot uniforms, the kids had fun and for the most part marched proudly. Afterwards, a cameraman or two were on hand to take photos for parents that didn't have cameras. Later, when the prints are developed, they can buy them.

It's interesting to celebrate an independence day during the school year. I never really thought of it before, but I think it definitely adds a lot to the historical significance of the event. September is a time of patriatism and the students are able to study it in school and experience the holiday simultaneously.

For me, this event also reminded me of the role of government in Honduras. Unfortunately corruption tends to be the norm here, along with misuse of power. I've begun to pray more and more for the "powers that be" here in Honduras. We can pray for changed hearts and lives in those in positions of authority. I'm praying for miracles to happen even during my time here!

PS Pictures will -- Lord willing -- be posted soon.

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