Today we were all exempt from classes and instead, Ramiro and Ana Maria decided to take us to the market place to buy offerings for the "grave" of Emiliano Zapata, a deceased Mexican hero. So the school gave us money and sent us out with a list of things to buy, such as flowers (there is a special orange type of flower that smells beautiful and is only in bloom during the end of October), paper cut outs, and fruit to put on a table at the school near Emiliano's picture.
The whole market was stuffed full of people buying candles, sugar skulls, meats, fruit, flowers, and incense just for the shrines that they will make to their deceased loves ones. So after being bustled around the market place by Ana Maria we finally managed to find all the things we needed and ran back to the school to find a table with Emiliano's picture hanging over it. We started putting the flowers and fruit and sugar skulls (with the names of all the teachers on them) all over the table, as well as dishes of candied yams and pears. Carlos even gave up two empty packs of cigarettes and Ramiro and Claudio donated some vodka and beer.
We made the table look very nice and took some pictures with it and Ramiro explained that tomorrow we would be able to eat the food ourselves after the "spirits" get at it first. I personally think the only thing that will be enjoying that food before me are the ants, but it was very fun to take part in a truely Mexican tradition. Here's a picture of our Emiliano Zapata shrine:
Tonight I'm going with one of my teachers to visit the graveyard of her sister and see what goes on there. My host mom tells me that its common for a story teller to be at the graveyard and tell ghost stories to everyone. Of course, now whatever taxi you get into, the driver will have a story about how he was called out to a house by a person who had been dead for years. Everything is so much like Halloween...but so much less like a holiday made for the sole purpose of bringing in money. Here, things are very spiritual and deep.
Pictures of the market can be seen here.
3 comments:
Wow.,....so this sounds like a spooky holiday. This is weird stuff...I don't think I would be up for a trip to a graveyard to hear ghost stories! They are bad enough to hear at home in a warm house by a fire. I think you are right about the ants...they will beat you to the food. Very interesting stuff....you are a great writer.
Pop
I DO believe is a holiday, but not a spooky one. The basic idea is this:
Each November spirits are allowed to visit their beloved ones. In order to guide them, we must lead the path using bright flowers like the sunshine (cempasúchitl).
The photo on the altar and other personal things are leaved there to let them know they have arrived at the right place. The altar must be filled with their favorite stuff (food, drink, cigarettes, etc.) because the spirits can get tired after a long journey. We know hey can not eat physically, bout they cat eat the essence.
It is also common to bring some mariachis in order to celebrate their arrival. We want our beloved ones to feel OK. Let us party, eat, dance and celebrate until they have to return to Mictlan (the place of the dead, like the heaven, but underground).
I recommend you (and everyone else interested) to check out this beautiful eBook.
Lol awesome. haahaa... a shrine for my main man Zapata! thats cool thought i love the pics u took they look wonderful. good color making mexico come alive. U never told me how was the graveyard?
luis
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