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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Day of the Dead: The Altars

 I left the people in the photo to show the size of the calaca, or skull

Day of the Dead:  The Altars 
Life here in Mexico is still so imbued with the colors, the celebration, the sheer driving force of El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, that I couldn't resist just one more post.  I promise to return to food and recipes this week.  

In today's post I'll show you how even in the commercial areas and stores, the dead are not forgotten.  They are loved, remembered, and honored always, but visibly so on this day and this week.  

For more images of Day of the Dead:
Day of the Dead Market in San Miguel (2011)









 Fruit, roasted pumpkin, candied squash


 Designs made from dried fava beans, black beans, and red corn

 Pan de Muerto, or Day of the Dead Bread, and sugar cane

 Even the dead love chocolate



 And once again, from Mexican poet Octavio Paz:

"For a resident of New York, Paris or London death is a word that is never uttered because it burns the lips.   A Mexican, on the other hand, frequents it, defies it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it. It is one of his favorite toys and his most permanent love."


©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.
Please ask permission before using photos.  Thanks!







10 comments:

Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen said...

Wow thank you for sharing these photos, the decorations are so festive and beautiful.

Joan Nova said...

So colorful and creative. Thanks for sharing these scenes with us.

Not Quite Nigella said...

They are amazingly elaborate! It makes me want to visit your shores even more now! :D

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

All your post on this are amazing, the colors and the beauty of the decorations is amazing. Ironic since it is for the day of the dead lol.

Forest Dream Weaver said...

Your images are so colorful, beautiful and filled with sunshine.
Glad I found your blog!

Best wishes,
Ruby

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Victoria, I enjoyed your post that shows traditions that may seem strange to us but meaningful to so many. Thank you for sharing the culture from your area.

Eha said...

Another one of your posts to which I quietly want to return in the evening: just to learn and figure out about the background of looking at and accepting death in a way some of us may find difficult . . .

Hotly Spiced said...

These festival is unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it. The decorations are amazing and the colours are so intense. xx

vianney said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog!! Your blog is amazing and I adore Dia de Los Muertos, one of my favorite holidays! Thanks for sharing.
Vianney ~ Sweet Life

http://platanosmangoes.com said...

I love El Dia de los Muertos. Thanks for doing this post.