He Dolores Friday Antecede to Holy Week. However, in the Guatemalan tradition it is also associated with the Dolores strikeiconic commemoration of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC).
From the Catholic perspective, the Dolores Friday represents the commemoration of the pains of the Virgin Mary, according to data from Aciprensa. This holiday is celebrated on Friday before the start of the Easter week.
In addition to the Catholic tradition, This date is related to the strike of painsalso known as Bufo parade wave Strike of all the pains of the people of Guatemala.
In History of the Dolores strike (1970), José BarnoyaGuatemalan doctor and writer, explains what is the origin of this university commemoration.
What is the origin of Dolores’s strike?
According to Barnoya, Dolores’s strike was born in 1898during the dictatorship of Manuel Estrada Cabrera. The writer explains that Estrada Cabrera was in charge of power for 22 years and shot innocent people.
Within this political context, the strike of Dolores arises during the Friday prior to Holy Week of that year. Initially, The celebration began at the Faculty of Medicine of the USAC. For its part, law used to celebrate this commemoration any day of Lent.
The main reason why this strike is established is satirize the corruption of certain officials of Guatemalan society. Therefore, it has become a way by which University students express their political opinions through mockery.
In the same year that the strike of Dolores begins two university newspapers: You sayof the Faculty of Law, and Don’t tempt usof Medicine, which has survived over the years. The latter comes to light on April 1, just during the strike.
According to information from the University News Agency, the Ministry of Culture and Sports declared this university tradition as Intangible heritage of the nationaccording to Ministerial Agreement number 275-2010.
Activities that are carried out during the pain strike
- Declaration of the strike of Dolores. This occurs a day before the event and takes place at the headquarters of the USAC.
- Choice of King Feato. Students of all faculties participate in this call. Each one chooses a winner who subsequently competes with the rest. It is a satirical character that is part of tradition.
- Presence of the chabela. According to information from the Museum of the University of San Carlos (Musac), This is the iconic character of Dolores’s strike. It has become a symbol of this house of studies for more than a century.
- Song of The chalana. It is the official anthem of the USAC students. It was created in 1921 by José Luis Balcárcel, David Vela, Alfredo Valle Calvo and Miguel Ángel Asturias, with music by José Castañeda.
- Comparsas and allegorical floats. During the bufo parade different floats are observed throughout the activity.