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Published: January 4th 2014
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The Final Rest
Sunset cemetery locale San Jose del Cabo To a mere bystander, Day of the Dead sounds rather ominous. But here in Mexico, this particular day is a celebration of life, through death.
As the entire region prepares for Días de Los Muertos, streets and homes are spruced up, markets bustle with activity, the stalls are decorated with colourful symbolisms of death, everything from those beautiful Juan Torres sculptures, to marzipan bones, to little skulls made of sugar. Flower stands overflow with cempasúchsil, the orange marigold with a scent and colour so intense, the Aztecs used it because they believed it would guide their beloved ones back to their homes and alters.
Here in San José del Cabo, up the bump street, my nose catches another drifting scent, the intoxication of freshly baked bread fills the air. On offer at the local Panaderia, the delicious Pan de Muerto, a heavy confectionery enhanced with an essence of orange blossoms and liquorice.
You can feel it in the air, another Mexican holiday is fast approaching.
But November 1
st arrives sullen in San Jose del Cabo, the skies warn of imminent rains as they darken a normally brilliant sky.
I stroll by the local cemetery as I
Muerto Mariachi
even the mariachis get into the spirit do every day and note the brightly coloured flowers in white buckets have multiplied overnight. I stop to admire the display when a sudden wind vortex comes out of nowhere catching up the flowers and swirling them high up over the graves.
Am I the only one seeing this? It was as though I was watching spirits dance in the skies above.
For a fleeting moment I get an emotional blast of joy with sadness as I am forced to reflect upon on my own lost ones. I miss them terribly.
I am so fascinated with the artistic interpretations of the Días de Los Muertos, and find the meanings behind this cultural tradition riveting. You may not.
To avoid your inevitable glaze-over while you read this, I will generalize the hell out of the origins of this observance, for your comfort.
It is believed the Mesoamerican Aztecs dedicated their month of Miccailhuitontli (July into August) to children and to their dead, presided over by the "Lady of the Dead" (Mictecacihuatl).
Death wasn’t the end all for them, their culture knew it was vital to stay in contact and honour those that had departed.
Shop Decorations
In San Jose del Cabo many shops create their own Ofrendas and displays to signify the day But of course, as soon as the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the ancient Aztec beliefs were revised into a more palatable Christian observation called All Saints Day, which occurred in November.
Over the years, Day of the Dead has morphed into a cheese fondue of religious and cultural significances, especially revered in towns with a higher concentration of indigenous peoples such as Mixquic, whom celebrate it more fanatically than say the touristy beach towns like Los Cabos or Cancun.
However, it is still a great reminder that we need to lovingly and happily remember our dead relatives, their life, and that in itself gives meaning and continuity to our human existence.
And that is beautiful.
Días de Los Muertos happens over a period of three days, starting October 31
st where dedication is solely concentrated on the lost little children. On November 2
nd the focus then shifts to the departed adults.
American Halloween has somehow snuck into the festivities and now local children are beginning to dress up in ghoulish costumes and canvas the ex pat neighbourhoods for candies.
I’m with them, why should the dead children get all the perks?
According to Aztec
Interesting carvings
Lots of little details in each alter, these hand carved bone decorations are fantastic beliefs, it is the only time of the year when the souls are allowed to come back to earth to visit their living relatives.
To welcome them with open arms, Mexicans go about making everything nice and tidy so the dead feel welcomed and comfortable. Each household builds an elaborate alter and adorns it with decorative candles and flowers, and put out ofrendas, items that their loved ones may have coveted, favourite food or drink, cigarettes, or little bowls of candies, or family pictures. They say rosary and pray for their lost souls throughout the night.
Popping up in San Jose del Cabo, a new trend of putting alters in front of gringo restaurants and stores. Honoring personalities such as Frida Kahlo, Benito Juarez, and Diego Rivera, the gringos aren't sure what to make of these little works of art, but I think it's a great way to introduce the culture to others.
The following day, the families attend church services and later, their sombre procession guides the dead souls back to the afterlife via the ten blocks to the San Jose del Cabo cemetery.
They spend the afternoon paying respects by decorating the graves while
Day of the Dead
You will find many scuptures around town to signify the day enjoying a picnic with all the other families that have gathered.
Meals prepared are sumptuous, usually featuring meat dishes in spicy sauces, chocolate beverages, along with all the sugary confections that make the kids bounce off the grave stones like parkour artists.
Everyone settles in for the wake while the adults enjoy some malt beverages, renditions of lost stories and funny anecdotes are told of their dead relatives. Some laugh and sing. Some hug and cry.
It becomes quite a drunken spectacle for the mere observer as the day wears into night. I call it my
don’t drive for any reason night, as many of the patrons pile into cars and drive off into the night, not intending, but often ending up, dead themselves.
I think the Mexicans have this death thing sorted, proper.
As I was saying before, lines get a little blurred then it comes to figuring out the significance and origin of certain symbols and actions around Días de Los Muertos.
The pop culture has adopted the famous cartoon drawing from the 1900's by Jose G. Posada called the dapper lady 'Calavera Catrina' by believing she symbolized the Aztec 'lady of
Ofrendas Dia de la Muertos
Many creative alters set up around town death', although Posada was only making a commentary about mexican politics at the time. Renditions of his drawing have now spread into an entire new thing in the USA and colourful female skulls are one of the most popular tattoo requests.
Not lost on me is the colourful warm social atmosphere, where the living share an abundance of worldly pleasures with the dead.
A gringa like me is drawn in by this awesome ritual, and I've come out of it recognizing the importance of the cycle of life and death...all the while knowing full well that I am just a passenger, and I ride and I ride and I ride.
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taracloud
Tara Cloud
So colorful
Great photos and excellent historical context! How wise to be in Mexico for this colorful holiday--I hope to be in Oaxaca for it someday. I love the Mexican respect for the dead more than Halloween's fear of ghosts--after all, we're all going to die. Glad you got to experience a slice of authentic Mexican life!