Vendors sold freshly cut marigolds and bright pink flowers for the altars and graves, but also traditional Halloween masks since the holiday coincides and blends a little bit with Día de los Muertos. Throughout the aisles of the markets and on the street, you could see and smell the smoke from the copal incense being burned for the holiday (no worries about fire hazards here) alongside sugar skulls for children and also “magic” items used to cure an illness or even win your man back. We roamed the markets to get our fill of food ( meats, snacks, desserts, you name it), but also to see all of the traditional items and crazy things being sold by the vendors anticipating the holiday and the crowds. I cannot stress enough that the majority of our time in Oaxaca – outside of one fancy dinner and a cooking class – was spent wandering without a plan. ![]() So what should you do if you want to go it alone during Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca? You shouldn’t build a “general” altar for the dead during this holiday, because it will invite back any soul, good, bad, or lost. Interesting Note: I learned that when making an altar for the dead, one must build it for a particular spirit or spirits. Sometimes the altars held the hats or shawls of the dead, and often people left candles or traditional copal (tree resin) incense was left burning to help elevate the prayers. The altars typically include a photo of the dead person or persons, intricately cut paper decorations ( papel picado), flowers, and some sustenance for the spirit’s time in the world of the living – fruit, bread and water, but also candies and the favorite snacks, liquor, beer, and cigarettes of the deceased (all opened for them of course, spirit hands on earth don’t really work). We saw them everywhere in Oaxaca and most were incredibly colorful and elaborate. While the holiday is traditional and involves family and prayer, it’s also a solid three-day-long (and at times, rowdy) fiesta.Īltars (ofrendas) are built to welcome the spirits back to earth, and people build them in their homes and businesses, and even in plazas, markets, and on sidewalks. November 1st is dedicated to the spirits of dead children, while November 2nd is for the spirits of all the other dead. While the cities of Puebla, Guanajuato, and Mexico City are also incredible for partaking in these celebrations, Oaxaca is the epicenter. Our friend from the short flight to Oaxaca told us how fascinating and beautiful it was to witness the Day of the Dead celebrations because it’s a totally different way of looking at death than most Americans are used to. Families make alters for loved ones and decorate their graves to invite and welcome them back. ![]() Originally an indigenous holiday celebrated by the Aztecs and other Meso-Americans thousands of years ago, the newly-arrived Spanish (after failing to eradicate it altogether) moved the holiday to coincide with All Saint’s Day (November 1st) and All Soul’s Day (November 2nd) and tried their best to inject some Catholic influence.ĭuring these few days of the year, it is believed that the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, and the spirits of the dead can come back to visit. As I mentioned previously, by the time we’d arrived on the 30th all of the marigold fields in the area had been cut for the massive sale of the traditional yellow flower of the dead. While many people and companies will try to sell you a tour or a guide for this holiday, we felt like we experienced Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca in a more genuine way on our own and (obviously) on the cheap.ĭía de los Muertos takes place from October 31st through November 2nd, but preparations and celebrations begin well before in Oaxaca. ![]() Though we couldn’t stay through the final day of November 2nd, we were able to experience lots of celebrations, wander through the cemeteries, and get caught up in some impromptu parades and fireworks during the three days and nights beforehand. And there’s really no better place than Oaxaca to do that. My friend Bertha’s wedding date of October 25th fell so close to this holiday that I had to tack it onto our trip as a chance to see some authentic Mexican customs in action. We came to Oaxaca with a purpose: to eat all the foods possible and to witness the festivities and traditions of Día de los Muertos.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |