I found the aforementioned photocopy of the Day of the Dead altars. Below is a translation, I find this kind of stuff fascinating. The best we can come up with in England at this time of year is that the Guy represents Guy Fawkes. And chucking him on the bonfire, his torture and death…
Day of the Dead altar – Día de los Muertos – Panteón de Belén, Guadalajara
The altar should have 3 steps which represent the past, present and future.
It should also include the 4 elements, air, fire, earth and water.
On the 1st level goes the photo of the deceased with two large sugar skulls which represent death.
On the 2nd level you put everything that the deceased enjoyed and loved in their life, along with three medium sized sugar skulls which represent the Holy Trinity.
On the 3rd level you put 4 candles which represent the 4 stages which the deceased passed through and through which we all must pass: childhood, youth, maturity and old age.
On the 4th level you put three crosses. One of salt, to purify the place, one of ash, to show respect to the deceased, and the third made of candles to call the deceased to the altar.
There should also be 4 wax candles in each of the cardinal points of the compass so the deceased can find their bearings.
Blue candles represent the River of Death.
Purple candles represent pain and mourning.
Red candles represent passion.
White candles represent fire.
Xempazuchil (marigold) petals signify abundance or plenty.
A bottle of tequila and the favourite food of the deceased so they can remember the good times of their life.
Small incense burners with copal to scare away evil spirits.
A picture of “Las Animas del purgatorio” (The Souls of Purgatory) so if the deceased is still in purgatory he can find his way out.
A dog known as a Xoloitzcuintli, because this prehispanic animal was the only one who knew the path to get to the netherworld, he helps cross the river and guides the deceased there.
And small little skulls representing each person who made the altar and which shows that we are all mortal and will all face death.
“We thank you for your visit and invite you to say the rosary with us…”
Another fantastic afternoon/ evening/ night yesterday. First up, I went to see Memorias del subdesarrollo (1968) about Cuba’s surprisingly sedate postrevolutionary transition. There’s going to be a whole series of Cuban films on Saturday afternoons at 5 in the CUCSH so that might become a nice weekly event. Afterwards, El Rincon de la Doa for pre-concert drinks then on to the Teatro Diana for the main event. We had great seats and you could practically make out each chord the guitarrist played. Julieta is completely different to young Shakira, mind. She seems altogether shier, but warmed up after a few songs. It can’t be easy playing to a seated audience… I was surprised as I like to bob about while concert going, but actually sitting down made perfect sense and It was a fine spectacle with some nice lighting/projection effects. Excellent musicians too. I might have to seriously reconsider my thoughts on accordianists. All my favourite songs were present and correct. Actually she didn’t play Casa Abandonada, but I can live with that. Let’s see if it’s on YouTube…. Nope, have the final song instead, an audience singalong no less… Andar Conmigo
Then back to El Rincon de la Doa for post-match analysis and banter. Then a last-minute change of plan from going to find taco outlets open at 2 to going to “El rincon de los rumberos” where I looked after handbags and drinks for those who enjoy dancing to live salsa… A fine, fine night all round.
Didn’t get home till very early this morning… however despite the lack of sleep the following ad for French channel, Canal +, made me laugh:
And I also liked this here magic eye stereogram tetris thing. Defocus your eyes and use the cursor keys to steer the falling blocks. Or alternatively just try to not go permanently blind…
On Wednesday I had a fine old day wandering around the city’s graveyards and markets enjoying the colourful celebration that is the Day of the Dead. If anything I was doing the tour a bit early as things really kick off in the evening and the following day. On the plus side I got to take lots of photos without being too much in the way.
First off I went to the Panteon de Mezquitan which is a huge, fairly posh graveyard. The usual silence of the place was interrupted by the officials reminding everyone through a huge speaker system to pay for another year’s “storage” for their deceased and to be watch out for “criptas fragiles”. Another reason to visit during the day is you’re less likely to fall into fragile crypts and open graves, which would put a damper on anyone’s evening… Everyone had bought their flowers in the market opposite. They’re called Cempazuchil (there are many alternate spellings, zempoalxochitl, zempazúchil or “Twenty-Flower”) which are African Marigolds and are the official Day of the Dead flower, representing the Sun, the source of all life put on the graves to attract the dead to the offerings. And if you’re planning on buying them, you’re best off avoiding these 2 or three days of hyperinflation.
In the same market you can also stock up on your “Pan de Muertos” Bread of the Dead, a slightly sweet, brioche-like affair with skull and bone shapes moulded onto it.
After there I went to the centre, to the Panteon de Belen where they have an Altar competition and it’s one of the oldest graveyards in Gwod. 25 pesos to enter with a photography permit…
There were about 20 different altares here honouring such luminaries as Pedro Infante, el Santo, Pope John Paul II, Che Guevara, Elvis and Maria Felix. Each one has all kinds of symbolism going on. They gave me a photocopy of the meaning of everything but somehow I lost it and all I remember is that the crosses made of salt are for purification. There are treats such as tequila, bread, chicharron, and their favourite brand of fags left too. A friend of mine said that she’d left a bottle of coke, bread and Marlboro lights on her uncle’s tomb. The next day the bread turned to powder, the cigarettes wouldn’t light and the coke had gone flat. Proof positive that the deceased visit their tombs and chow down on the various things left there for them.
I could write a lot more about these customs but you know how it is, work to do, etc… I think it’s a great tradition all round, and something that needs to be kept up to combat the all encroaching gringofied version of hallowe’en. T’was a lovely day all round.
A good mate of mine, whose nom de plume is Pinguino Frog, wrote a short story which seems appropriate for the Día de los Muertos. He posted in in Spanish here in his blog. And since it’s all in the present tense and not too tricky I gave it the translation treatment.
Here’s the first paragraph:
They have arrived; I can feel them, their cold, their pain, their solitude. They wake me, brushing against my shoulder. It’s past 12 o’clock they inform me. With some difficulty I open my eyes and see them floating, there, at the side of my bed. They have arrived, they have arrived to give me a message from the other side, they have come to tell me that the dead are worried, that they are worried because I am getting dangerously close to their borders. They talk to me in an unknown language that all the same I understand perfectly. I sit on the edge of my bed to see them better, I rub my eyes to make sure that they aren’t merely some kind of trick. The spectres are completely unknown to me, not even by straining to see them better can I identify them; who they might be. I cannot avoid comparing this apparition with Dickens. I can’t help feeling like a Scrooge, victim of three Christmas spirits, even though, those who visit me number five.
