As told by the Cuchilla Story Guild, Mexico City 2012
The children and youth of Jerusalem Evangelical Church work with Mayan and traditional Mexican cultural elements to tell the story of creation and the fall. The story is narrated by Eve in conversation with her third born son, Seth, in the aftermath of Abel’s death at the hand of his brother, Cain, and Cain’s subsequent exile. The hope and sorrow of her mother’s heart speaks to the hope and sorrow experienced by mother’s in Mexico who have lost sons to poverty-related violence or to job-seeking exile in the United States.
Latin American director, Adriana Zepeda, consults with Pastor Reuben and Jose, our stage manager, on details for the set.
Paint, and lots of it, for the giant props in the final creation scene; traditional Mayan scribes chiselling out the story of creation of styrofoam stele.
Children rehearse on giant “Aztec” drums which will herald each of the days of creation.
The costume for the Serpent was designed from a venomous snake native to the Chiapas region of Mexico.
Canadian hockey masks in the process of being redesigned as Mayan ceremonial masks for the creatures purported to have guarded access to Eden after the expulsion.
Pastor Reuben played the part of older Adam and is seen here with his wife Eva, both dressed in traditional Mexican peasant clothing.
Traditional Mayan scribe costumes included feathered head-dresses and skin coverings. Scribes were the storytellers of the ancient Mayan culture.
Eve dressed in a traditional peasant dress from southern Mexico, uses a grinding stone for food production after being banished from the garden.
Abel checks on his flock of sheep so as to select the best one for his offering.
Abel in a position of humility and gratitude, presenting his offering to God.
Young Adam and Eve grieve over the death of their second-born Abel who was killed at their hand of his older brother, Cain.
The stars painted in Mexican folkloric style make their appearance on stage on the fourth day of creation.
The animals also painted with a cross between popular cartoon and traditional folkloric style parade across the stage on the sixth day of creation.
The moon and the sun portrayed in the magnificent art form of Mexico rise above the stage on the fourth day of creation.
The cast and crew.