Alfombras de Aserrín (sawdust tapestries) are a centuries old tradition - an artistic and religious expression of gratitude for blessings throughout the year brought from Spain to the Americas. They are created with sawdust laid directly on the streets for a church procession that happens on Good Friday leading up to Easter. Many hours are required to create the tapestries that disappear under the footsteps of the religious procession only hours after they have been created.
In 2023 a cultural revival of sawdust tapestries occurred the SISE House of Culture in San Ignacio, following past initiatives (and the pandemic), by way of Benque where the tradition has thrived since the mid 1990's, making it's way there via families from Antigua, Guatemala. The House of Culture created a guide that pays homage to those who revitalized the tradition in Benque and lays out the precise steps to creating the tapestries from start to the lead up to the religious procession they honor and celebrate.
Weeks before Easter the SISE (San Ignacio & Santa Elena) House of Culture sets to the task of preparing for the creation of these intricate sawdust tapestries known as alfombras de aserrín in the Spanish and Central American traditions. In Belize they are called sawdust tapestries It is indeed a labor of love that requires the thoughtful coordination by the Cultural Liaison, Karla Pinelo, who organized the hauling of many pounds sawdust from local mills to the community center one evening with staff and volunteers. Once it arrives with a team of volunteers led by the SISE Puede ("Yes You Can") Girls and SISE House of Culture staff, sieve huge sacks of sawdust to prepare it for dying. All of the preparation and tapestries has to be complete before the procession begins at Sacred Heart Church in the early evening on Good Friday - moving through the streets of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.
Three weeks leading up to the actual creation of the tapestries elementary and high school students filed into the House of Culture to volunteer to manually sieve or sift the mountains of sawdust from their sacks through mesh trays led by the SISE Puede girls. A dozen youth gathered after school into the evening to lovingly prepare the sawdust for dyeing in the upcoming days. Overlooking San Ignacio and Santa Elena from beneath the protected porch of the House of Culture, the students enjoyed joking with each other while sifting in the cool afternoon breezes, that surprisingly didn't disrupt the sifting process. With big black buckets collecting the sifted sawdust in teams the students then hoisted those into huge plastic bags ready to be dyed in the and crocus bags coming days.
Simultaneously, the student groups coordinating the creation of the tapestries or alfombras met at the House of Culture to create their elaborate stencils for 6 foot width to up to 40 feet in length tapestries, in some cases. They drew out their designs then spread out on the floor of the main gallery activity room, they went to work using utility knives to cut precise lines into thick cardboard to create their designs. Sacred Heart Junior College and the SISE Puede girls shared their design ideas as well as photos of last years phenomenal floral 40 foot design. In discussion ambition ideas emerged this year for a stained glass theme as they managed the challenges of laying out and cutting their designs.
In the two weeks leading up to the dyeing process, a team of volunteers coordinated in advance led by the SISE House of Culture staff. The team came together setting up tables, large buckets, boiling water, vinegar, salt and the main ingredient - dyes. The bins were filled with sawdust and then dye was added to the mix, followed by hot water with vinegar added. With rubber gloves and masks volunteers and staff folded the dye into the sawdust until well mixed then added salt as a mordant. Large flat cardboard sheets were laid out to spread the dyed sawdust to dry overnight. As the rains and winds arrived we moved all the cardboard sheets indoors as the evening approached. It was a beautiful dance of team work. Everything would be ready in time for the morning of Good Friday to begin creating the tapestries for the procession that evening.
We learned that the teams arrived around 8 am and started creating their tapestries around on the morning of Good Friday and said it took an average 4-5 hours to lay them out completely. By the time we arrived in the evening they were awaiting the arrival of the procession that had already crossed the Bridge over to Santa Elena by 5 pm. On our stroll through Santa Elena, on the blocked off street near JJ
Furniture, we saw the tapestries were intact awaiting the arrival of the procession. The Child Advisory Board, Saint Ignatius High School and Jaguar Scouts were beautifully represented and some of the girls from the high school beamed with pride when we asked if they had created the tapestry.
On the evening of Good Friday the many extraordinary flourishes of designs in vivid colors lit up the evening streets of San Ignacio and Santa Elena in preparation for a devout procession from Sacred Heart church through the two towns and back to the church. Over 40 tapestries were created between the two towns with some connected in a continuous carpet down Far West Street. It was quite a divine site to behold and experience this beauty of the annual event of loving devotion.
Gratitude to All!
This event required a tremendously concerted effort by so many in the community that deserve all the accolades! We begin by expressing much gratitude to Karla Pinelo, for the welcoming us to volunteer at SISE House of Culture and helping with edits and photos for this article.
Much thanks for 3 sawdust hauls:
(1st haul) SISE Town Council (Mayor Trapp), Ms. Ana Donovan and Xander, Joe, Javier Coyoc, Peter Loague, CIGA guides
(2nd haul) Mr. Maldonado, Gabriel, Jahiem, Jose
(3rd haul) ASCON, Mr. Abel Flores, Santos & Armando, Joe Angel, Christian, St. Ignatius High School
Collaborating Organizations:
SISE Puede Girls + friends (Kaylie August and Ivar)
SISE HOC Friends: Yvonne, Ama, Abner, Alexis, Fernando, Deborah, Carlos, Viannie
Kontiki Youth Group: Maldonado & Sonia
Sacred Heart Junior College: Breanne, Diego
St. Ignatius High School: Sara + students
Sacred Heart Junior College + Red Cross + Interact: Biyanka
Jaguar Scouts: Melanie, Aidian, Emily, Chelsea
SISE HOC - Peace Corp - Sacred Heart Primary School After School Program: Collin Thaw, Chris
For more info on sawdust tapestries click the image below:
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