Alfombras de Aserrin 
Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 12:00PM
Fabian Lewkowicz

Guests look at Janet Rodriguez's  Alfombras de Aserrin (sawdust carpet) at Edison Language Academy during the annual  DÌa De Los Muertos celebration on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The making of alfombras de aserrín, with its vivid colors and eye-catching patterns is a Guatemalan tradition that dates back to the Mayans. Mayans made these carpets with flowers for the kings to walk on as they made their way to Mayan ceremonies. In the 16th Century, the Catholic church altered the tradition of the alfombra and began to use colorful sawdust to create them. The Alfombras are made from hand-dyed sawdust, pine-needles, flowers, vegetables and is a community-forming tradition.

 

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