In Mexico, most people don't really celebrate Halloween -- although if WalMart has anything to say about it, they soon will be purchasing costumes and candy just like the USA. What they do instead is take two days to honor their dead family members. The first day is to honor dead children and the second day to honor adult dead.In some parts of Mexico, people go to the cemetaries to celebrate with the 
dead. Here, in Merida, the celebrations primarily are private in individual homes. The week before these days is a flurry of activity including cleaning the houses, cleaning the gravesites, making food, preparing an altar at home of all the favorite things of the dead people to entice them back, adding flowers, and then just as quickly, taking it down.
dead. Here, in Merida, the celebrations primarily are private in individual homes. The week before these days is a flurry of activity including cleaning the houses, cleaning the gravesites, making food, preparing an altar at home of all the favorite things of the dead people to entice them back, adding flowers, and then just as quickly, taking it down.However, on the day before Janal Pixan or Days of the Dead (which is also Halloween), thanks to underwriting and stipends by the government, there is a large display of altars in several squares in Merida. Many towns or guilds or businesses participate in this activity here in the capitol and, although incredibly crowded and smoky (yes, because many of the participants are either cooking for their "dead" or burning incense or both), it is quite charming. .jpg)
They appear in native dress early in the morning with materials to build small huts with thatched roofs, tables, pretend wells, and in some cases, they get more elaborate with pathways lined with rock and fencing. Crosses, pictures of the dead loved ones, and flowers (especially orange carnations) play a large role in the decoration of the huts. And food is key -- not only the traditional pib (a masa and chicken dish that sometimes also has beans and is steamed in a banana leaf under ground or under coals at any .jpg)
rate) but also whatever favorite foods and drink loved by those no longer on this planet is represented. They bring large stone molcajetes to grind the corn into masa and hammocks for the dead to rest in while the preparations are being made. There is music that reminded us of sounds you might hear out in the jungle made by native flutes and drums. And by 7pm, it is all gone as if it had never been there.
.jpg)
They appear in native dress early in the morning with materials to build small huts with thatched roofs, tables, pretend wells, and in some cases, they get more elaborate with pathways lined with rock and fencing. Crosses, pictures of the dead loved ones, and flowers (especially orange carnations) play a large role in the decoration of the huts. And food is key -- not only the traditional pib (a masa and chicken dish that sometimes also has beans and is steamed in a banana leaf under ground or under coals at any .jpg)
rate) but also whatever favorite foods and drink loved by those no longer on this planet is represented. They bring large stone molcajetes to grind the corn into masa and hammocks for the dead to rest in while the preparations are being made. There is music that reminded us of sounds you might hear out in the jungle made by native flutes and drums. And by 7pm, it is all gone as if it had never been there..jpg)
As we wandered through both Santa Lucia and Plaza Grande installations on Friday, we were struck by the joy and reverence for these activities. Even though public displays, rather than private celebrations, people were laughing and talking and enjoying what they were doing. Some were praying privately, but all were delighted to be right where they were in that moment. As were we -- until we came home to discover pigeon shit all over the back of our shirts!!
