Masaya is a city in southwestern Nicaragua, near Managua. The city is on the eastern slope of the currently-quiet Masaya volcano, which attracts many tourists to Volcán Masaya National Park. (Masaya did spit out some hot lava just a few years ago.)
The city is the industrial and commercial center for the surrounding agricultural area. Industries in the city include the processing of fiber and the manufacture of cigars, Native American handicrafts, shoes, leather products, soap, and starch. Masaya, called the City of Flowers, is noted for the annual fall fiesta of San Jerónimo. Population, about 135,000. Here are links to some other sites about Masaya, Nicaragua and Nicaraguans.
More scenes from life in Masaya.
All kids in Masaya and throughout much of Nicaragua learn 'folk dance'. I guess it is like us learning square dancing. We live in Masaya, called the City of Folklore, and so we see more of this dancing than anywhere else. Masaya might be the most festive of cities in Nicaragua. Every city has a patron saint. and when Masaya celebrates its patron saint....San Jeronimo....people come by the busload from other cities to share in the month long October fiesta. These kids dance to traditonal 'marimba' music.
The music is loosely scored for a three piece band....marimba and two guitars. The moves are ballet-like. and done with great pride. Check out the costumes. The first shot is Leo. The next is a line of the young dancers.
Here are some shots from a local women's co-operative. They sew. They formed during the war as their husbands went off to fight and some never came back. The name is 'bordados diriana'.
The word bordados is best translated 'embroidery'. Diriana was a female figure who did not accept the oppression of the spanish. She is a woman of history and legend who lived the struggle for independence.
The women of the sewing co-op borrow from her spirit. The woman who runs it is named Aura Cecilia Hernandez de Guevara. if you go to Yahoo search and enter..Diriana..you will find an article on her under the heading of ....world vision u.s (click here) ....She lives a few blocks from us. Many of the groups that come to work with us get to visit her sewing center. We go early in the week and she takes sizes and orders. By the time of departure everything is ready. Cecilia is in the first foto. then two shots of the embroidery. ---
This is the quote on Cecilia's business card:
The piñata lady who passes by my house each Saturday morning with piñatas going to market.
A Masaya traffic jam.