Oaxaca’s colourful graveyard shift
In Mexico’s southern state, the Day of the Dead is unrivalled for its joyous, song-filled festivities
BY CHARLIE FIDELMAN, THE GAZETTE NOVEMBER 2, 2012 9:01 PM
Jean-Claude Teyssier
Photograph by: © Jean-Claude Teyssier
THE GAZETTE
When the people of Oaxaca throw a party for their dearly departed, few other Mexicans can hold a candle to the spectacle: It’s mystical, morbid and mucho fun.
Every year around this time, the Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — produces deliciously macabre scenes all over Mexico. Many rate Oaxaca City and surrounding areas as a top destination for the quintessential Mexican holiday, where tradition dictates that families decorate home altars for deceased kin and visit their graves with “offrendas” or offerings of flowers, candles and their favourite foods.
At a popular graveyard in Xoxocotlan, a village near Oaxaca City, in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca, there are bound to be mariachi bands strolling by altars and tombs decorated with sugar skulls, marigold petals, sand tapestries and hundreds of candles. Families will sit all-night vigils over adorned graves of their relatives, fuelled by crazy quantities of food, alcohol and song.
No one ever needs an excuse to stop over in Oaxaca City, the state’s capital, known for its colonial architecture, gorgeous arts and handicrafts, and awesome food. The Day of the Dead just adds to the appeal.
We visited several cemeteries in nearby villages, after starting with the Panteon General, Oaxaca’s main cemetery.
It’s best to go after sundown for the sombre but festive effect of hundreds of candles at twilight. You’ll need a light sweater against the night chill and sturdy shoes.
But the graveyards never seem more alive than during this national holiday, celebrated with enough joy to entice the dead back to the living — loud music, eating and, sometimes, drinking to inebriation. This ritual welcoming the souls of the deceased has existed since Aztec times, and later got overlaid with Catholic traditions.
Tourists are welcome, but discretion is wise. Don’t photograph folks without permission. Despite the merriment, families and friends are gathering to mourn and remember their beloved dead.
Another big attraction lies inside the Panteon, which hosts one of the city’s largest altar exhibitions and competitions. Elaborate creations are judged for authenticity and originality. Each one is decked with “offrendas” that include papier-maché figurines, calaveritas (skulls), skeletons dressed in wedding garb, painted mythical fantasy animals and typical farm scenes and, of course, each is garlanded with gold flowers, fruits and bathed in the glow of candles. A sweet smell of incense and flowers fills the air.
By midnight, the graveyard carousing was as strong as ever. A melancholy elderly woman sat on her husband’s grave, lovingly piled with fragrant marigolds shaped in a cross and the things he once loved: cooked dishes like chocolate mole, his preferred brand of pop, Coke, poured in a cup and a cigarette lit in anticipation of his visit.
Nearby, a raucous family passed around shots of mezcal, the local firewater, sopped up with fried plantain and tamales as their kids curled up on blankets, using the gravestones as pillows.
You’ll want to start by getting party paraphernalia at bakeries, markets and shops near the zocolo, the central town square: a crusty sugar-paste skull with your name painted in blazing colour across its forehead, and a costume for sure, like the grim reaper with a scythe or a skeleton with spindly legs and a toothy smile laughing at death.
The holiday, a surreal homage to death popularized in images by artists like Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, is high season so it’s best to reserve airfare well in advance. Festivities last a week from late October to early November, and in some villages continue late into the month.
In fact, preparations can be so lavish that many start weeks in advance with farm fields growing swaths of marigolds. Last month, several trucks carted in loads of coloured sand as groundwork for the elaborate sand tapestries now dotting many city squares. Stroll the streets so you don’t miss these ephemeral, giant paintings made with fine sand, often mocking political figures or reflecting local obsessions.
The costume will come in hand for those who want to participate rather than just watch a comparsa set off. A comparsa is a loosely organized, carnival-style group of costumed revellers. They dance the night through cobblestone streets of various barrios or neighbourhoods, accompanied by music bands and laced with drink. Among the best is the one held in Etla, located about 45 minutes from downtown Oaxaca. Hop a bus, a collectivo (taxi) or join a tour company.
Many Oaxacans say the festival is not really about drinking oneself silly. The Day of the Dead is about preparing the way for the return of the souls. It’s an obligation rooted in belief, they said, that the dead do indeed come back to us. This is a way of maintaining the link between present and past. But whether or not you believe in spirits or other worlds, it’s a hell of a party.
If you go:
There are no direct flights to Oaxaca, but Aeromexico has good connections via Mexico City. Call 800-237-6639 or online, http://www.aeromexico.com
Shopping: Markets in Oaxaca City are a must experience. The food kiosks are amazing in their variety, and the dishes are extremely well-priced. You can also find a special sweet bread named Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead). The oldest market is 20 de Noviembre, located two blocks south of the zocolo, on the south side of the Benito Juarez Market. Mercado de Artesanas, four blocks southwest of the zocalo on Zaragoza at the corner of J.P. Garcia, also sells handicrafts including leather, pottery and native textiles. The open-air Central de Abastos market is a mecca for foodies with its fresh produce and cooked delicacies, but watch out for pickpockets.
Sleep: If budget permits, go for the five-star Camino Real, a former convent in the heart of town with its landscaped garden full of fountains and a pool, http://www.oaxaca-hotel-group.com/camino.htm. The popular Casa de las Bugambilias bed and breakfast located near the historic centre has accommodations at about $70 U.S. a night. For a shortlist of recommended BB’s: http://www.oaxacabedandbreakfast.org/
For tourist information: http://www.visitmexico.com/en/oaxaca
Recommended reading: Days of Death, Days of Life: Ritual in the Popular Culture of Oaxaca by Kristin Norget, Columbia University Press, 2006.
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