We have been “saving it”, waiting for it…
Since we arrived in Mexico in March, Oaxaca City has been right up there as the first place we want to travel to. The pandemic prevented us from coming sooner but, at any rate, we were waiting for this very specific time of year. November 1st and 2nd.
And now, here we are, in Oaxaca City, days before Dia de Los Muertos, (Day of the Dead), arguably the most important day of national celebration in Mexico.
Of all places in Mexico, THE place to be is Oaxaca City, due to its passionate, omnipresent and exuberant celebrations.
With 2020 being the year of Covid, it will be a different Dia de Los Muertos, obviously. All official parades and festivities are cancelled and even the traditional access to the cemetery is prohibited. The objective of this policy is to discourage tourism during the pandemic. In “normal” times, the city would be packed with visitors. The celebrations will be tamer, yet we know it will still be interesting to be here at this important time of the year. (And of course the benefit of less tourists, is a more local feel…)
Dia de los Muertos has its roots in Mexico’s indigenous cultures, going back 3,000 years. It was considered disrespectful by the Nahua people to mourn the dead, death being understood to be just another step in the continuation of the life cycle. In this sense, this belief appears to us to be surprisingly aligned with Buddhism in S.E. Asia, which has been our home for past six years. This shared view of the continuation of the life cycle challenges the traditional Western Judeo-Christian concept of heaven and hell and finiteness of death.
From Mayan times, the remembrance of the dead morphed through the Aztec civilization for several centuries and then again after the Spaniards arrived, becoming more intertwined with Catholic traditions.
Today, the Dia de Los Muertos is an annual practice of welcoming one’s ancestors and loved ones who have passed. It is a joyous celebration ~ that one time a year when the spirit of the dead returns to rejoin humans.
UNESCO is not limited to monuments and objects ~ it also recognizes living expressions of ancestral culture. In 2008 UNESCO added Dia de los Muertos to its list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. This UNESCO recognition is a tribute to the lasting cultural importance of the Naha, the Toltecs and the Aztecs who transmitted to this day the festive annual acknowledgement and respect for the deceased.
There are multiple “ingredients” that make up Dia de los Muertos ~ namely the ubiquitous paper mache skeletons, life size and larger, elaborate make up, costumes with Dia de los Muertos themes, papel picado (paper cut-outs), and most importantly, the ofrendas (altars), which include all sorts of goodies…
Join us for a little taste of Dia de Los Muertos 2020 style….
Life size or larger than life paper mache figures are but just one of the modes of Dia de los Muertos expression. In the neighborhood of Julatlaco, where we had our Airbnb, an annual contest determines whose house will be selected for a mural painted by a local artist for that years Dia de Los Muertos ~ with a resulting collection of fabulous skeleton themed murals.
On the corner of our street, a make up “station” is set up for those wanting to have their face painted. Skulls, a key visual for Dias de Los Muertos is obviously the favored design. Getting one’s face painted allows the visual to be on the move…
Dog skeletons are every where too. Why? Because the Xolo (short for Xoloitzcuintli), the adorable hairless dog native to Mexico, was the creature entrusted by Mayans to help humans travel to “the other side”.
Papel Picado ~ perforated colored paper is a time honored Mexican folk art. Tissue paper is stacked together (40-50 sheets) and using a template, a small malet and chisel, creates as many as 50 banners at a time.
The living do whatever they can to be hospitable to the spirits of the dead, so as to entice them to return this one time a year, for a celebration of their lives.
Marigold flowers, cempasuchitl (the Nahuatl word for “flower of the dead”) are believed to lure souls back from the dead to the land of the living, with their bright orange color and powerful scent.
It is interesting to us that the marigold flower, is also the particular flower used in India as an offering in the Hindu temples. Coincidence? Why do both ancestral cultures link this flower to the spirit world?
There is a whole other topic around the Day of the Dead. Folklore has it that the timing of welcoming and honoring the deceased started to coincide exactly with the arrival of the migrating monarch butterflies from the colder weather higher North. Every year millions of monarch butterflies arrive en masse in Mexico at the beginning of November. Belief has it that the scent of the marigolds is what attracts the butterflies. It is more commonly understood that butterflies are the souls of the visiting spirits.
Now for the piece de resistance… the Ofrenda!
For Dia de Los Muertos, every family creates an ofrenda (altar) for their ancestors and departed loved ones, whom they want to invite back on this special day. The altar is always decorated with marigolds and displays photographs of the deceased.
Great pride goes into personalizing the family ofrenda, with the purpose of providing incentive to the spirits to return for a celebratory visit.
It is believed that displaying the deceased’s favorite foods, vices such as cigarettes, vodka and/or treasured objects enhances the chances of the souls returning for the occasion.
Also included in the ofrenda, is Pan de Muertos (Bread of the dead). It is a treat that both humans and spirits look forward to as part of this celebration. The bread is baked in large circular or oblong shapes and has several special ingredients to make it more festive ~ a citrus glaze, a whole lot of sugar… and often a decoration of skull bones on the top.
And then, there are skulls. Lots and lots of skulls. Everywhere… calaveras are edible, decorated skulls usually made by hand from sugar, and further decorated with colorful candy or glitter. Sometimes the deceased’s name is added on to the calavera.
We are gearing up to creating our own ofrendas in our airbnb. We have photos of our loved ones ready and are now shopping for calaveras, treats and anything that might “help our case” to bring the souls to the celebration.
You may have had to wait to get there, but your timing has been perfect. Thanks for all the views.
Indeed Peggy, all good things are worth waiting for.
Peta
What a fascinating and beautiful post!
Thanks Anabel glad you enjoyed it. We spent about a month in Oaxaca City and there will be more posts to come …
Peta
I thought I had seen a LOT of Dia de los Muertos stuff in Mexico and Chicago over the years, but Oaxaca puts them to shame! Almost overwhelming. I was wondering if Esco was leery of the very tall skeletons, but I saw later that he didn’t seem fazed although I think I might have been! Did Ben accidentally match that monarch butterfly perfectly? 🙂 Happy your wish came true to be there at the right time.
Lex, it is interesting because of course this year the celebrations were so muted down from “normal times” and yet it gives a sense of just how exuberant things get on Dias de Los Muertos! We were disappointed not to go to the cemetery where everyone congregates to elaborately decorate the tombstones including putting ofrendas at the cemetry.
I don’t think Esco even noticed how tall the skeletons were… As long as he is with Ben, he is happy.
Amazing unplanned butterfly match up right? So fun when that happens. Usually with me, but in this case Ben had the perfect colors on. He looks pretty good with wings don’t you think?
Peta
I’ve heard that Oaxaca is the best place in Mexico for Dia de los Muertos – and it sure looks like it. I’ve been blown away by those enormous Mexican papier mâché dolls since I first saw them (a bride and groom) at a wedding parade in San Miguel de Allende, and then many of them at the Guelaguetza Festival in Oaxaca. If by some remote chance you’ll still be there in July (!) the Guelaguetza Festival (2 weeks) is one of the most amazing events we’ve ever attended. Any way back to Dia de los Muertos – it looks like there’s quite a lot happening despite covid. Love the shot of Ben (feeling a bit Lilliput) and his lovely companion, and butterfly Ben, also some of the street art. What fun to be there for this!
Thanks for the reminder of Gualaguetza, Alison. For SURE we will do what we can to be here in July. One of those “gatherings”, like the camel fair in Pushkar, Rajasthan when the convergence of ethnic tribal communities becomes ” the greatest show on earth”… So looking forward to it.
The Lilliput feeling was very strong. Gave us a sense for when we travel to countries where we “stand out” for our heights, like Peru or Japan, but in reverse. It was particularly fun to see some of these papier mache skeletons walk around our neighborhood, courtesy of neighborhood kids.
Yup, “Butterfly Ben” is going to have to be put up as my linkedin photo!
Ben
In case you want a taste of it, and to get some ideas of what to see I’ve done 3 posts on it. Just put Guelaguetza into the search bar.
Dia de los Muerto is now my favorite holiday! I hope to keep alive my ancestor’s memories throughout the year!
So fun to share this extraordinary holiday with you both! And you look pretty cool with the flower garland.
P
So much colour and energy! Even though they can’t have the parades they’ve still worked incredibly hard to honour the dead.
Johanna yes, we made the assumption ahead of time that even though all festivities were formally cancelled, there would still be some celebration happening. So glad we were right on that! There is so much enthusiasm for this holiday you feel it as soon as you walk through the city, it is just everywhere. And a side benefit was that there were very few visitors/tourists.
Peta
Good morning, Peta!
Wow, you two outdid yourselves with these photos. I very much enjoyed getting a glimpse of this most interesting and fun celebration. Impossible not to smile!
Thank you, Charles
Charles so very nice to read you once again! Thank you for the compliment on the photos. It was hard to choose from the collection we have. So glad it made you smile, it was such a happy and festive celebration during not easy times for anyone.
We love the positive spin on death and the fact that this holiday is joyous as opposed to sombre.
P
xoxo
I think I’m feeling homesick for Oaxaca. This post brings tears to my eyes. Great job capturing the mood. Unforgettable experience, but the pictures help!
It was so rare that we had a whole month to be together and as well, in such an incredible setting. So glad that Aaron initiated the concept of being out of the U.S. for the election and that you chose to join us. The good news is we can meet again in Oaxaca city ~ maybe next year, same time, same place!
Miss you
xoxo
Thank you so much for sharing this! Wonderful photos and video, and I loved seeing your ofrenda!
Deb
Thanks Deb. The ofrenda was so much fun to put together as we collected small items along the way. Our friends also had their ofrendas, so we had a total of four in the house. Aaron had a hightech one with his images revolving on his computer and allowed us to discover some interesting personal history.
Glad you enjoyed the photos and the video.
Peta
What an exciting time for the four of you to be in Oaxaca even with covid-19 changing things up there, too, Peta. Loved your photos that brought the city and the Nahua festivities to life. Appreciated the links you made to the parallels with the Hindu religion. We truly are a small world, aren’t we?!
Thank you Annie for your comments. In the Western world, death is a very sombre and sad occasion. We really both loved how death and the spirits are celebrated here, much like in Asia, which is something we both got used to. One exception we can think of is the festive send offs that happen in New Orleans. We can’t think of any others….
So glad that you enjoyed the photos so much.
Peta
Thank you. we could not make it to San Miguel de Allende this year to celebrate. Your account of DdeLM 2020 was exhilarating. Debb Eller forwarded your blog as she knows how much we enjoy the hioliday.. Our ofrenda this year would have featured Reed. Miss him so much
Thank you for reading our post and for leaving your feedback. For sure Reed’s joie de vivre would have dictated a joyous Dias de Los Muertos celebration!
We loved meeting Debbie and Reed, both in Sri Lanka at our home and in France at theirs. One of the most wonderful benefits of home exchange is meeting people such as Debbie and Reed. They loved staying in our humble abode in Sri Lanka and we so enjoyed our time in Bouzige and the highlight was the gorgeous tajine that Reed made the day we arrived.
Peta & Ben
Such a contrast with our somber and fearful western approach to death. I love the colourful art, flowers, and music, and the joyful way the whole community engages in the celebration. Thanks for sharing this glimpse of Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca.
Jude
Jude, we were so aware of this contrast and cultural difference. It really was a joyful experience and we will probably return again for more ~ will be interesting to see what it is like in a non pandemic situation.
Peta
Ohh, what a wonderful tradition and celebrated with such vitality! Thanks to your great images, we all get to join in the festivities, thank you! I think that’s so cool you made your own ofrenda…..
Johnny, we thoroughly enjoyed all the color, festivity and celebrations. So much of this was new to us and we fully embraced it… our ofrendas were simple and small compared to what the pros do in Oaxaca City. Some garages were completely overtaken by their ofrendas, although interesting to note that in normal times the ofrenda is often set up at the tombstone in the cemetery, which this year was unfortunately closed.
Thanks for stopping by to read us and to leave your comments.
Peta
As you may remember, we were in Oaxaca last year for Dia de los Muertos. Although we enjoyed our experience, I do envy you for the smaller crowds. I hope you’ll be able to get back post-Covid to see the cemeteries. They are really worth the trip at any time, not just during DdlM. I have similar pictures of so many of murals and art pieces that you posted… thanks for the virtual return visit. I’m glad you were able to get an Airbnb in Julatlaco – that is my favorite neighborhood!
Janis, yes, many had told us that in normal times the city is packed with people for this time of the year. There were very few visitors from what we could determine, and after Dias de Los Muertos, there were even fewer for the rest of the month. Just a handful really. Thanks for the tip on the cemeteries, we look forward to visiting them as we find it interesting to visit cemeteries in different countries.
We started out with an Airbnb closer to the market and it was fine except for the noise factor. The move to Julatlaco was a great choice, we loved it. Such a great city for sure.
Peta
P.S. love your profile photo on your blog in front of one of the murals in our neighborhood. So cool.
Great post guys, brings back so many memories of the vibrant colours of Oaxaca, we loved the place. We didn’t witness the wonderful festival that you’ve seen, but we were there to see in a new year – and we too stayed in Jalatlacao. We loved reading your post and having those great memories evoked.
Thanks Phil and Michaela. We feel sure Oaxaca City would be a great place to be any time of the year… We started our stay closer to the market and city center but it was way too noisy during the night so we moved and really lucked out with a great house in Jalatlacao. So glad you got to revive your good memories.
Peta
Oh what a fun and colorful experience! Thank you! LOVE
Super fun, super colorful. So much more than what we experienced in Granada for Dia de los Muertos. xoxo
I can see why you would want to be in Oaxaca in early November. although unfortunate that many of the festivities couldn’t go forward due to COVID, it seems like there still was a lot to see and take in. I’m intrigued by the marigolds, which we saw so frequently in SE Asia. I had no idea about the timing of the return of the monarchs. What a wonderful vision that the orange wings are spirits. Gorgeous photos and I especially loved the video of the informal procession right by your door.
Thanks Sue. This actually was a great first introduction to Oaxaca City… If it were normal times everything would have been crowded to capacity, so in this case the pandemic had somewhat of a silver lining for us.
It IS interesting how the marigold is used so frequently in a religious context in SE Asia and here for Dia de Los Muertos. Coincidental overlap?
The informal procession was such a burst of spontaneous energy and had a lovely old fashioned feel to it.
Peta
How wonderful to be there for Dia de Los Muertos. I love those paper mache skeletons, the costumes and the wall murals and decorations. It’s great that you made your own ofrenda. The Spanish people celebrate the day by visiting the graves but they don’t do the rest of it. Which is surprising as they celebrate everything else! Enzo looks like he is enjoying himself. xo
Darlene we were surprised by how large those paper mache skeletons were and just how many there were all over the city. Yes, when we lived in Nicaragua, the locals in Granada would go to the cemetery on Dia de los Muertos but not much else.. it was not a huge holiday there. Celebrated but not huge.
Esco is having a blast. Adjusting to a nomadic life like a trooper. He secured himself a permanent position as a nomadic member of this family.
Peta
He is the perfect dog for you and you are perfect for him! Funny how that works out.
What a fantastic display of artworks, both edible and non-edible. It’s certainly a wonderful way to honour the dead. Whilst I found some of the skeletons rather macabre, others were very cheerful indeed. So interesting about the marigolds as I’d also noticed these flowers at shrines when we were in Asia.You were really there at the perfect time to see everything without hoards of people milling around. Great post, Peta.
Thanks Sylvia, I think what we enjoyed the most about Dia de Los Muertos was that we arrived a few days before and it was great seeing and feeling the city gradually build up. Each day more decorations, more music, more paper cutouts. The level of festivity kept building.
Peta
It’s sad to know all the usual festivities weren’t able to go ahead, but in another way it must have been nice to be able to enjoy it all without battling the crowds.
Definitely a disappointment that the cemeteries were closed and for locals very tough indeed. But there was such a feeling of festivity and celebration despite the pandemic and closings that we certainly got the feel of Días de los muertes as well asa greater understanding of it! Wonderful to have so few tourists ~ the silver lining in a way although of course hard for the economy and all the hotels restaurants etc.
Peta
Thanks so much for sharing this post and the amazing pictures. The information is fascinating and I appreciate your understanding and openness to other cultures. It was good to see pictures of Esco doing so well too!
Blessings, Michele
The best part about travel is the discovery and understanding of other cultures. It’s what we love most and yes do our utmost to be open minded and curious in this regard.
Esco has adjusted very well to life on the road ~ much better than expected! And wherever we go people say”pobrecito!” When they see him. (Translation:poor little thing…)
Peta
What a wonderful write-up, Peta. It is a fascinating celebration. It looks like Oaxasa City lived up to your expectations. I love how colourful it all is, not to mention those gorgeous murals. And I would like to believe that the butterflies are the souls of the returning spirits – it feels right.
Jolandi, it exceeded our expectations. We did initially feel disappointed that the museums and most galleries and cemetery We’re closed but the city more than made up for it!
Peta
Franki P:
Divine post darling, great wall art and photos. So glad to see little Esco proudly walking along with his daddy. I so enjoyed bits of Mexico in my mid 20’s and always intended returning to see much more. Gorgeous gorgeous, will have to put it back on my bucket list amongst all the other dreams.
Franki
Fran always do great to hear from you! Wow you went to Mexico all the way from South Africa way back when… I gotta hear more about that adventure!!
Thank you for the compliment on the photographs. Coming from you professional photographer that’s a good compliment indeed!
Ok so soon as you can is the time to get back so we can reunite!
Peta
What a perfect place to be for Dia de los Muertos! And how lovely that you created your own personal ofrendas.
We’ve spent Dia de los Muertos in Santa Fe, but wow, the celebration in Oaxaca is stunning. There may have been some aspects of the celebration lost without the crowds that would usually be there, but the quiet streets certainly gave you the opportunity for artistic photographs of the murals. I love the photo of Ben as a monarch butterfly. We’ve had thousands of monarchs here in north Florida throughout the fall preparing for the flight across the Gulf of Mexico. I like to think that some of our butterflies are going to spend the winter with you. 🙂
Laurel, love the idea of your monarch butterflies coming our way! Waves of incoming monarchs sounds like a wonderful visual. Ben does make a good butterfly doesn’t he?
We were happy to do without the crowds and a smaller Dia de los Muertos that in normal times as we have never experienced that either. So it was all new to us. Perhaps we will get the opportunity to return next year.
I think it is interesting that no matter where any of us are in the world, we are all experiencing that particular place in a different way than is the norm.
Peta
What an informative and entertaining post, you two! Dia de Los Muertos might have been a whole lot mellower this year, it certainly wasn’t less colorful, festive, or sweet! 🙂 I like how you all created your own offrenda – talk about really immersing yourselves into the culture and tradition. You came well prepared and seemed to have an amazing experience in Oaxaca City.
Liesbet glad to hear we were entertaining AND informative. That is the ideal outcome. It was a very fun and interesting experience to spend over three weeks in Oaxaca City. Really loved it, and by the time the three weeks were up I was very ready to head towards the ocean where we are now.
Peta
Forget the skeletons, forget the flowers, forget the murals . .. Aaron is la bomba!
P.S. I’m still groaning over your title . . . which is a good thing.
Hhahaha he IS indeed! He rocked that headgear for sure.
Feeling most fortunate to be road tripping in our new adopted country.
Peta
What an interesting celebration – must have been fun to be part of it but also to remember your own loved ones and to create your own ofrenda. I don’t think most of us in the US really understand what it means to observe the Day of the Dead.
Do you eventually eat all the baked items? Or set them out for homeless critters? Or just throw them away?
Sharon yes, in the U.S. Day of the Dead seems to mostly get translated as some kind of Halloween equivalent. Yes they are celebrated around the same time on the calendar but are very different in spirit but also in history.
There is something very interesting about having everybody take those few days to acknowledge the dead.. not on individual anniversaries but rather as a collective experience. And the fact that it is joyous is wonderful.
We crumbled the baked items and threw from for the birds on the roof top so as not to waste them. But after a few days they had gotten rather stale of course.
Peta
Are there still workshops in Oaxaca that create those gorgeous carved wooden sculptures? I’ve purchased a few small ones in Tijuana because I love the way they incorporate found pieces of copal and are meticulously crafted into whimsical animals and then hand painted. I’m sure you know that but am wondering if they are still being made in Oaxaca?
Sharon yes there was ONE gallery that was open and it housed an exhibition of these incredible carved wooden animals very intricately painted. We also saw other examples of this fine art at the Cultural Center which was also open.
Peta
A special and intense celebration for sure, I love all the vivid colours which Mexico offers usually. It must be impressive to see all those skeleton themed murals in a whole neighbourhood! Thank you for the tour🙂
Christie our first Dia de Los Muertos in Mexico was definitely memorable even though it was during the time of Covid. Looking forward to more celebrations in the future and seeing how different cities celebrate, although Oaxaca City is famed for being the most exuberant during this festival. The murals in our neighborhood were fabulous and we enjoyed walking by them each day and discovering new ones when we took different routes.
Peta