Inauguration of a President...

On Monday, Honduras held the inauguration of its newest president.  Here, the president can be elected to one 4-year term – no reelection to a second term.  And, just like in the US, pre-election campaigning can get pretty dicey, with accusations thrown about from all the parties.

And that, my friends, is about as political as this post is going to be!

I just want to share some of my thoughts and observances of the inauguration ceremony I watched on TV.

Suddenly the screen switched to static.  It was different than when the cable loses signal, and I’ve come to recognize the static as meaning that the government is blacking out all channels except official government channels.  I switched over to Channel 5 and found that it was broadcasting the inauguration of the new president: Juan Orlando Hernandez (often referred to as JOH).

When I switched channels, it was just in time to see the opening prayers.  The first was by a Catholic Monseñor.  His prayer was very regal and I understood every word of it.  The next prayer was by an evangelical pastor.  His prayer was much more emotionally charged.  I also understood all of that prayer.

Then they started the festivities by having a parade inside the national stadium in Tegucigalpa. First up, a school marching band. That definitely got my attention.  Their uniforms were crisp and their marching pretty good.  They had a great “street beat” going and soon started to play Sopa de Caracol.  Well, I actually love that song because the first time I heard it was on Costa a Costa 2013.  Check it out for yourself.  Try this one  or maybe this one.

As the band left the parade area they had another great street beat going.  For those who weren’t band geeks (we used a different name when I was in band, but that word is no longer allowed), a street beat is music just the percussion section plays, which keeps everyone marching in rhythm.  

After the band, we were treated to Los Indios Bonitos (good-looking Indians).  I’m translating it that way, because saying “pretty Indians” for the boys just doesn’t translate well.  But I digress.

Los Indios Bonitos were dressed, or, really, half-dressed, as traditional Lenca Indians.  The boys were dressed in loin cloths, holding bows and arrows, traditional face paint, and barefooted.  They all saluted the president-elect as they passed the reviewing stand.

Following Los Indios, a young girl, about 8 years old or so, dressed in traditional folklore garb presented the president-elect with a plaque and a short, impassioned speech.  But then, she grabbed everyone’s attention by beginning to sing to JOH.  And sing she did!  A capella and with more gusto and expression than singers much older than she.  At one point, JOH reached into his pocket, removed a hankie and wiped his eyes – both of them.  He was visibly touched, as was his wife.  The young girl reached out for JOH’s hand while she was singing to him.  He gave her his hand and used his other hand to reach for his hankie again.  It truly was a sight to behold.

When it was time for JOH to take the oath of office, he placed his hand on the Bible as he made his pledge.  Then  speeches, more speeches,  military band, and then a ‘victory lap’ around the stadium.  By this time, I was bored so I wasn’t paying much attention.  But the vehicle that JOH rode in for his victory lap caught my eye.  It was a greatly modified jeep with an open-air platform.  At first I was comparing it to the Popemobile, but with no bulletproof glass and such, it was really more like the swamp buggies that they use in FL during hunting season to retrieve downed birds.

One of the things that really struck me through the whole inauguration was how accessible the president was to the people, how much interaction he had with people.  That would have never flown in the United States.

And that, my friends, is the inauguration through the eyes of this gringa.