During her residency in Guatemala, Australian photographer Alana Mc Connom has travelled around the country, recording both the landscape and the rich heritage of local traditions. Through her camera, the artist has managed to capture the unique visual impact of the typical kites of Santiago and Sumpango.

In these two towns in the department of Sacatepéquez, the flight of the giant kites takes place on November 1, on the days of All Saints and All Souls. The enormous structures, made of paper and reeds, manage to rise thanks to the prevailing winds at that time of year.

Their original function was to materialize the relationship with deceased ancestors. The kites, placed on the graves, become messages of love and protection against malevolent influences when raised. From the mid-twentieth century, they began to increase in size, also assuming a form of aesthetic expression in which the talent of the community is manifested. The basic principles of design share, especially in Santiago, patterns of rhythm and color similar to traditional textiles.

The large surfaces of the barrels have allowed them to address issues of social relevance: environmental care, preservation of traditions, the problem of emigration, or the double Guatemalan and Mayan identity. Every year, the November wind carries messages of warmth in which ancestral ties and contemporary concerns intertwine.