Authors: Ben Ruhe
Date Submitted: February 28, 2007
Article Type: Journal

“Some of the best kites you’ll ever see,” says Scott Skinner, president of the Drachen Foundation. “It’s like Hamamatsu in Japan, a huge community kiteflying effort. Unique.”

“One of the seven wonders of the kiting world,” says Ali Fujino, director of the Foundation. “The festival, mixing Indian and Catholic cultural traditions, is both fascinating and cute.”

What’s this? The two are commenting on the Day of the Saints celebration in the Guatemalan village of Sumpango which they attended on November lst last year. The annual event near the capital drew tens of thousands of visitors, almost all Mayan Indians, plus a Drachen Foundation team documenting the celebration on videotape and with photos. Jose Sainz, a Drachen board member, is Mexican by birth and served as Spanish-language interviewer. Matt Stubbs served as videographer. The 25-minute film he is preparing will be widely screened in the U.S. and lent to Guatemalan groups for educational use.

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