Yesterday was the beginning of the ¨Dia de Muertos¨ (Day of the Dead), celebrations here in Oaxaca. So we organised a tour with one of the hostels. The tour guide didnt really do much guiding but he did drive the minivan to a couple of cemetaries, and he gave us some flowers (marigolds), a candle, and some food (bread and chocolate), to lay on a grave. The second cemetary was out of town a bit, and smaller .. but there were lots of people about, and the atmosphere was really magical.
Day of the Dead - Is a tradition with pre-hispanic roots, in which people get together to honour and remember those who have passed. Small alters are set up, with flowers, food and drink (because the spirits are hungry after their long journey). Apparently if you eat the food after the festival is over, the food has no flavour because the deceased have taken it.
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| Man keeping a vigil over a grave |
Around the cemetary I saw interspersed amongst the copious amounts of tourist (with every second one with a tripod and camera), was local people sitting around graves .. some people sitting alone, others with the family .. the ones sitting alone appeared mostly to be older people.
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