Video Of The Week - Guatemala's Giant Kite Festival

Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated annually on November 1st & 2nd to honor deceased family and friends is enjoyed across Latin America. However the festivities differ in each country. Mexico commemorates the day by offering the departed with their favorite foods, Haiti by playing loud music and drums and Guatemala by flying giant hand-made kites over cemeteries.

The century-old tradition is based on the belief that the kites are able to convey the messages that are tied to their tails to the spirits of the deceased loved ones. Construction of the massive kites begins about 40 days prior to the big day. On November 1st, locals and tourists gather near the country's burial grounds to watch these magnificent structures dot the sky and relay messages until about 4 pm. After that everyone heads home - The tourists to reminisce about the magical day and the locals to await the arrival of the spirit of their loved one.

Resources: telegragh.co.uk, wikipedia.org