Dia de los Muertos in Mexico

Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos) is celebrated in Mexico with great fervor. There are large parades in many cities, people paint their faces like skeletons and dress in special clothes. They  offer the deceased things they loved when they were alive, such as bread of the dead (pan de muerto), water, fruit, and liquor and cigarettes. The families celebrate the life of the deceased and share a special time with them through memories as they gather together to remember them.  Alters have at least three and up to seven levels. The offering on the altar offer all having meaning, cut paper(papel picado) connects the living and the dead, salt purifies the souls and marigold flowers (cempasuchil) lead the dead home with their bright color and scent. A cross doesn't just represent religion, it also symbolizes north, south, east and west.

This year a good friend and teacher invited me to decorate her classroom for the celebration. We worked all day helping to create the the altar, hanging up the cut paper and then creating pictures with colored saw dust. It was very special to be with her and her students and celebrate the day in the traditional way.  With my neighbors and work colleagues we shared sweet day of the dead day bread.  My neighbors and I also went to watch the new Disney movie Coco together (highly recommended if you can see it!) It is all about the Day of the Dead.

But here in Baja California Sur the celebrations are pretty toned down compared to the rest of Mexico. There is an altar and Catrinas and Catrins contest outside of the city theater  They sell tamales, corn, churros and other tasty things. Here the influence of the north is stronger and Halloween and its traditions are better known. But this has been slowly changing in Baja California Sur over the past 10 years of so. In any case I am so happy to be here and celebrate with my friends and adopted Mexican families.