Cemeteries of Oaxaca 2016 -- a post mortem

[Deleted]

Group report created by kerouac2 (who due to a glitch is the "Deleted" in this presentation), with htmb and bixaorellana --

I think that everybody knows that one of the most important things when celebrating Muertos in Mexico is to visit one of the main cemeteries and preferably more than one since the festivities (a more accurate term than "commemorations" in this case) last several days before and after November 1st and each night becomes a time for both decorating the tombs of loved ones and having as much fun as possible. If you are lucky enough to have a knowlegeable guide to lead you to the best places, it just doesn't get any better.

So, we took the plunge in Xoxocotlan just outside of Oaxaca. We managed to arrive at the cemetery just before dusk or rather we almost arrived by taxi because the road had already been closed to cars and we had to walk the last stretch to get to the cemetery.

In spite of all of the flower markets in town, there are still flower sellers at the gates to supply the absentminded at the last minute.





There is of course fun for the whole family, especially the little ones who have no idea what is going on.



People were beginning to stream in, but this was nothing compared to how it would be later.



The gate appeared before us at last, along with the rather questionable water tower.





All that is left is to admire all the work and try not to break one's neck as the light begins to fail.

[Deleted]

Sand paintings are part of the routine. Quality does not seem to be of primordial importance.



Families sit around as though they were in their living room at home.



The kids love to dress up. Not just the kids, either.

[htmb]

Running at top speed, I finally caught up with the group.

[bixaorellana]

[htmb]

Some of the graves looked very fresh.

[htmb]

[bixaorellana]

[lagatta]

I'm sure there must be anthropological, historical and sociological analyses of the joyous Day of the Dead in Mexico and particular in Oaxaca with its very "living" Indigenous cultures; the syncretism between traditional beliefs and the teachings of Catholicism. I guess I'm asking Bixa above all (and articles in Spanish are fine).

One can also observe joyous funereal elements in cultures of West African origins, not only in those countries but also in New Orleans...

[bixaorellana]

Hi LaGatta ~ nice tie-in about the W.African and NO celebrations with the remembrance of the dead here. I am pretty sure there is some discussion in an old day of the dead thread(s) about the mingling of pre-hispanic and all saints/souls customs. Let me try to find it and get back to you.

[bixaorellana]

[bixaorellana]

[bixaorellana]

[Deleted]

   

   

   

[lagatta]

I'm happy to finally be able to see K2's photos along with the ladies'!

Doing a quick google, I found this from Conaculta: www.cultura.gob.mx/turismocultural/publi/Cuadernos_19_num/cuaderno16.pdf

But I hate reading long texts on the computer screen. And I don't see anything specific to Oaxaca, but I could be missing it.

Because Hallowe'en is so commercial and generally imported from US mass culture, one easily forgets that it is also syncretic, between All Saints' and All Souls' days and Celtic belief systems and rituals, that also bear the mark of a region where the difference between summer and winter is so much greater and the loss of sunlight and warmth so ominous in the eons before electricity and central heating.

[Deleted]

One thing about the celebrations in Mexico that seems just a bit unfortunate is that a lot of the imagery from the large neighbours to the north is now being incorporated -- plastic jack o'lanterns and some rather insipid ghosts and goblins. However, it is still a very small fraction of the displays and does not (yet) annoy. Many of the things to see would scare the crap out of most children in many other countries.

Anyway, as night fell and the cemetery became for all practical purposes pitch black, I was drawn more to the sources of light.

i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/kerouac2/Mexique/Oaxaca/P1040678.jpg

i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/kerouac2/Mexique/Oaxaca/P1040681.jpg

After stumbling around in the dark and not having a personal tomb to groom and use as a picnic table, we went outside the walls where the food vendors were just setting up. The ambience is more like a carnival midway than anything else.

The giant rectangles of pizza were not even ready yet but the condiments essential to Mexican gastronomy were ready and waiting.

[Deleted]

The other cemetery (the "old" cemetery) of Xoxo was just a few blocks away, which were full of activity.





Local products were on sale.



Some altars have a trail of marigold petals to guide the dead to their destination for this evening.





There was a lane of traditional sand paintings of not really exceptional quality.

   

   

   

[htmb]

[htmb]

[Deleted]

The old cemetery was actually a bit creepy and darker.

[bixaorellana]

[bixaorellana]

[bixaorellana]

[bjd]

I wonder whether Mexicans have a different attitude to death than in other parts of the western world where it is hidden away, since they know their families will be coming to "visit" every year, decorating tombs, eating and having music played.

[Deleted]

We would be visiting the main cemetery of Oaxaca for the big event, but first we climbed up to a small old one a few blocks above Casa Bixaorellana.







Considering the theme of the day, I thought that the location of this establishment was appropriate.





People were beginning to gather for a small musical parade that was about to take place.







I just glanced through the open door of the local little church without entering.



And then we were in the cemetery.







It appears that babies that die on the day of their birth are named and buried with the others.







Some people last a lot longer.









And then we were off, just like these young ladies...

[Deleted]

We had to take a taxi from the little cemetery to the main cemetery across town... There are numerous statues/landmarks to help you figure out exactly where you are.



This dragonfly (or maybe a zika mosquito?) seemed like it could be useful, too.



... getting closer... maybe...



We alighted from the taxi here, which wasn't exactly an official landmark.

[bixaorellana]

You got some exceptionally lovely pictures in that little cemetery, Kerouac. Also, thanks for the great narrative throughout.

In order to try to keep this thread somewhat in sync, lemme throw in my pictures from that little cemetery of Santo Tomás Xochimilco, Oaxaca -- not to be confused with the Xochimilco of Mexico City.

c2.staticflickr.com/6/5544/22783957488_539c4df0c1_c.jpg

[bixaorellana]

[Deleted]

Meanwhile, at the main cemetery... or was it an amusement park?



Perhaps a little bit of both. Here is the main entrance.





The inside walls form a mausoleum. On this day, candles are placed in each niche.





There was still a lot of work to do. Employees bring cartons of candles, others take them out of the box and light them and yet other get on ladders to place the candles in every niche. We'll get back to them after dark.



Lights were being set up for a show in the central ruined or never completed chapel in the middle of the cemetery.











The dear departed are offered snacks and drinks.



Some habits are hard to give up.

[Deleted]

It's getting darker.















I am told that it gets so crowded by midnight that you can't even walk down these alleys.







I don't know if they were happy, but they were together for a long, long time.

[Deleted]

As the light failed, it was getting easier to stumble.







Some memorials are simpler than others, but the person is not forgotten.