Gritería Chiquita

La Gritería Chiquita, León, Nicaragua - en honor a la aparición de la virgen María cuando el volcan Cerro Negro hacía erupción hace medio siglo. En frente del altar a la Virgen estamos Jossey, Wiston, Doña Marta y Déborah.

Gritería Chiquita, León, Nicaragua - in front of the altar to the Virgin Mary (L-R) Deb, Wiston, Jossy (neighbours and Edwin's neice and nephew) and Marta (Edwin's mum)

Here in steamy Nicaragua everything is as well (or weird) as can be expected. Last night, Daniel Ortega's minions dropped around household invitations to the "Heroic city of Leon" to join a "joyous sing-a-long to repudiate "country-sellers" and "traitors", those supporters of imperialism, in the central plaza at 7am" (am!!!) (literal translation). A peculiar contrast, last week we participated in the "griteria chiquita" (little clamour) which involves going around to all the houses in the neighbourhood who have put up makeshift altars with the Virgin Mary, and shouting "Who makes us this happy?" the host then replies "the assumption of Mary" and gives out lollies and little trinkets, in commemoration of when Mary saved the town from a volcano eruption in the 50s. I am now the proud owner of a plastic rosary and a Viva Maria sack bag.