Yesterday was one of the official days of Day of the Dead - November 1st - All Saint's Day. This is the biggest day of the entire holiday with celebrations lasting well into the night. To start our day, we went to Mitla (a town about an hour away) to decorate El Pan de Muerto (Dead bread). This is NOT bread that we actually eat, but bread that is decorated and placed on the altars for our visiting souls. The bakery that we visited was literally in a tiny shack, with a large STONE oven. They bake thousands of Dead Bread that are then delivered all around the country for the holiday. During this particular holiday, they are working 18-20 hours daily just to get it all done. The frosting that they use to decorate is sweet and the people that decorate make very beautiful intricate designs. Check them out!
After partaking in our own dead bread, we were to visit Tule, which has the largest tree in Mexico (and when I say large, holy heck, it is LARGE). Apparently, though it is dying :(
As we ended the day, we went into el Centro for the biggest festival of the year! The Day of the Dead parade is by far the MOST popular in Oaxaca, and quite possibly Mexico, even the world! I saw and heard more English yesterday than I have my entire time here. When I asked our guides about it, they said that this festival really is for tourism and income. Many locals will spend the day with their families and altars and the evenings will be in the cemeteries. We were able to do it all! And this was a big parade! So many people with their faces painted, floats, fireworks, food, drinks - you name it, it was there is some way!
As you can see, many people have their faces decorated as a skeleton, or La Catrina, as she is called. For my Spanish students, reply to this blog telling me who she is, the history behind her and her importance and why you feel that she is an important part of this culture and holiday! You will earn 25 bonus points on your first chapter's MSL grade.
La Catrina is a prominent figure in Mexican folklore and art it is a symbol of the Day of the Dead. Developed by Jose Guadalupe Posada in the 20th century, she is a sophisticated skeletal woman with a beautiful headdress often embellished with flowers and feathers. On the Day of the Dead, Mexicans honor and remember their deceased loved ones, with the spirits believed to return to earth. La Catrina symbolizes the acceptance of death and the joyous celebration of life, with her image often used in Day of the Dead artwork and costumes
ReplyDeleteLa Calavera Catrina also known as the “elegant skull” was a sketch that Jose Guadalupe Posada created back in 1910 in an attempt as a satire referencing the high-society European obsessions of leader Porfirio Diaz, that his corruption led to the Mexican revolution of 1911. It’s also known as well-dressed man or woman. The adoption of La Catrina took many forms, from sugar skulls and dress by men and women in festivals. It’s an interpretation of death and that life does not end in this world and the dead should not be feared but commemorated.
ReplyDeleteI mean just "WOW" the colors are so vivid, and the energy is flowing. I think I would have been frightened if I would have been there. LOL! To many Skeletons for me! In all seriousness, this looks like the trip of a lifetime, how long did the celebration last each night? Did you sleep?
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