Every
business marks this holiday with an altar. Altars have
flowers, fruits, food, photos of departed loved ones, and things that
they enjoyed in life.
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Another altar at a restaurant. |
Sand paintings are also found in businesses as
well as in cemeteries.
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Small clay statues of dressed skeletons are
found everywhere. Mexicans, in my viewpoint, accept death
much better than their northern neighbors. Many gringos get
upset when they see these statues.
Right: Paper mache figures
of skeltons dancing at a
downtown store.
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This
is my home altar with photos of my loved ones. |
This was my altar in a previous year. |
Entrance to the Pantheon cemetery. |
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On the left is the Mendoza
family who invited us to celebrate Day of the Dead with them a few
years ago. They prepared a lovely meal with mole chicken, hot
chocolate, and fruit. On the altar behind them were stacked pan
de muerto, large round bread with small paraffin spirit
faces. This family had an abundance of breads on the altar
that night.
After
eating, we were chatting when one of the breads flew across the
room. It seemed impossible it could have done so without
others falling down. Our host simply said, "They are here"
meaning the spirits had come home. The village kept the
church bells ringing all night so the spirits could find their
way. After this "spiritual" occurrence, my guests (from Texas
and Canada) decided to try the mezcal, a locally-brewed drink which is
more potent than tequilla.
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Candles on graves ablaze at a cemetery. |
Graves are cleaned,
adorned with flowers, and candle lit throughout the night. |
What a wonderful way to remember!
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Sand painting at the cemetery.
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This skeleton is Catrina, the most popular
Day of the Dead design.
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Religious
paintings are common too.
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The
cross at Pantheon Cemetery.
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A
band was playing and we were invited to dance and share snacks and
drinks. Many families hire mariachis and other musicians to
play the favorite music of the departed. They spend the night
in the cemetery and remember their loved ones with stories and
celebration of their lifes.
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Sad
to report, Halloween has come to Mexico and trick or treat along with
it. I personally find it sad that other cultures are so quick
to adopt America culture, often at the cost of their own
culture.
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