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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2009 18:47:17 GMT
What are the creepy things on the bread? I can already imagine what would happen in a David Cronenberg movie.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 2, 2009 18:49:32 GMT
Some people are still building their home altars. For this they need sugar cane, candy, and flowers. Be sure to pick up more doo-dads for the dead. Incense and incense burners are readily available: The entire market is permeated with incense, as vendors display their product: The honey vendors are busy, as people prepare traditional candied and compote fruits for the season.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 2, 2009 18:53:32 GMT
What are the creepy things on the bread? I can already imagine what would happen in a David Cronenberg movie. Kerouac, go back to the very first post for a close look at the "creepy things" and an explanation.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2009 19:04:01 GMT
So colorful! Really nice photos, Bixa.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2009 19:25:55 GMT
Too colorful. My head is beginning to hurt. I need to lie down. Bixa's evil plan has succeeded.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2009 4:14:32 GMT
Thank you, Deyana. I'm not too worried about Kerouac. Anyone who loves SE Asia as much as he does is not really suffering sensory overload from these pictures. Today was just wonderful. I went to a friend's house and had mole, after which we followed the comparsa through the town. (more about that in the next post) Some of you would have enjoyed the discussion about which parts of Halloween and the Days of the Dead are Christian, and which aren't. One person said that some beliefs of the Celts still exist in Ireland and that the disguises associated with Halloween grew out of a belief that there were spirits abroad at this time of year eager to carry people to the underworld. People dressed as animals so that the spirits would not notice them. I related what Spindrift said about the barm brack, which everyone found interesting. Here is the mole we ate, along with chicken, a soup, and tortillas. And here is the altar in their home, which I found extremely moving. I wish I'd recorded when she explained it to me, but that was in Spanish in any case.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2009 5:23:54 GMT
Even when you know who is in the costume, there is some fun willing-suspension-of-disbelief at work. After the meal, several of the young men and a couple of kids retired to transform themselves. I had seen a bull, sans rider, carried through the house earlier, mysteriously shrouded. Check out the video to the see the bull complete with rider. Here is a motley, scary crew: Strangely, all of us women were fascinated by this bride, not least because of "her" mastery of high heels. She really needs to work on a more feminine posture, though. Anyone who knows anything about the politics of Oaxaca will get a kick out of this costume. Be sure to look for "Ulises" in the video -- he's quite a good dancer. Here is a bridegroom. What's that he's offering to his lovely bride? Death seems to be properly shocked!
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2009 5:43:08 GMT
Little kids in costume are always cute, but I completely lost my heart to this adorable little spider ~~ What a perfect day for this, with the dramatic sky and the rapidly darkening afternoon. How many similar celebrations have taken place through the centuries in the shadow of Monte Albán?
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 3, 2009 5:44:30 GMT
And now, for the full flavor and sound of the comparsa:
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2009 6:06:31 GMT
With so many incredible things going on, I would imagine that all of the other holidays pale by comparison.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 29, 2010 4:01:03 GMT
I am shamelessly bumping my own thread. It's that time of year again, but because of stuff going on in my life right now, I may not get to do the fun Muertos stuff I love. But I've participated enough to be able to say that what's shown in this thread is representative of much of what goes on this time of year, although it doesn't cover everything. Many parts of the US now have large Mexican populations. Do any of you live where Days of the Dead are celebrated? pee ess ~~ Check out the beautiful loaves of pan de muertos that Don Cuevas made: #3517 here
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Post by myrt on Oct 29, 2010 6:43:18 GMT
I love this, Bixa! What a spiritual and beautiful way to remember those departed. MUCH nicer than the hideous and macabre way we seem to do things now in the UK - Hallowe'een has been turned into a commercial and soul-less 'holiday'. And the costumes available for even the tiniest children just get more and more gruesome...it's hateful I think! The whole thing should be called Con Trick or treating IMO... And anything that gets Marigolds grown and used in such abundance is brilliant!
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Post by mich64 on Oct 29, 2010 16:39:37 GMT
Great Fun Bixa! I loved watching the video. I also noticed how very neat and pretty the neighborhood was, no litter anywhere! It looks like a lovely place to visit. The children were adorable.
We had "Zombie Walks" in two cities in the region where I live this year and it was quite interesting to see. That is probably the closest comparison to this Festival. One of the big differences was that ours was not celebratory like Days of the Dead is. Ours seemed too subdued even though the presentation was well done, they need to add the music!
Our Firefighters work in partnership with a High School Drama Club each Halloween. The students build theater sets and decorate the Fire Hall differently each year. About 4,000 children go through the spooky Fire Hall each year and the students do a wonderful job acting. The community donates candy and treats to be given out. It is becoming a tradition for our City and parents like it because it is such a family event year to year, meeting up again in line waiting to go through and see what the kids created this year.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 30, 2010 6:30:28 GMT
Thank you Bixa for a fascinating and beautifully illustrated thread! I've really enjoyed reading it and would love to see it myself one of these days. It is a wonderful way of remembering lost loved ones and honouring ancestors. I think that it's quite comforting for the living too...to know that you'll never be forgotten by your family, even in death...(what does that say about me? the atheist!) The costumes are brilliant too....altho Mr Donkey orta keep it in his pants....
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 30, 2010 12:20:22 GMT
Oh, thank you all so much! I really love this festival and am tickled that you all appreciate it too. Myrt, the wild marigolds are in exuberant bloom right now. Yesterday I saw women filling sacks full of them. We had a heavy, extended rainy season and there are carpets of wild marigolds brilliantly set off by the most intense blue morning glories imaginable. Mich, Halloween in your town seems to have some of the shared community spirit that it has here. Sounds wonderful. Cheery, you really got it. I first thought the whole thing was just a charming custom, but I swear you can feel the dead drawing near in a friendly fashion this time of year. (poor Mr. Donkey -- he's an eager bridegroom!) I had to dash downtown yesterday and couldn't stop to watch the sand tapetes being created in the alameda. That's the big space in front of the city cathedral, which has been incorrectly identified as Santo Domingo (a different church) in this article. Nice pics, though.
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Post by lola on Oct 30, 2010 16:24:40 GMT
I love this thread, bixa. Thanks for bringing it up. The marigolds are in full bloom here, too.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2010 21:32:13 GMT
I am glad you pulled this back up too Bixa,it's hard to believe a whole year has passed indeed. One of my favorite times of the year to be sure. I started a small altar today at my mother's house,actually,Cristine,her caretaker started one the nite she passed away and I have embelished from there. Thanks for the memories.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 31, 2010 1:29:06 GMT
There is no denying that the altars are comforting. If you don't mind a small joke, I'm sure your mother would be "mad about" the idea. Really, so sweet.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 18:34:52 GMT
There is no denying that the altars are comforting. If you don't mind a small joke, I'm sure your mother would be "mad about" the idea. Really, so sweet. I love it,and so would she. I eyed some bittersweet growing by the side of the road on my bike ride and plan on going to snip some for her altar later this afternoon.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 7, 2010 19:30:53 GMT
How beautifully appropriate, for the season, for the altar, and to commemorate both her birth and her passing on. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay, I know it's late to be posting these pictures, but I just got them from Charlie this morning. Since I didn't participate in any Muertos activities this year, Charlie graciously gave me permission to post her photos of the tapetes in front of the Xoxocotlán cemetery. "Tapetes" can mean rugs. It can also mean the sand paintings made for wakes. Those remain in the home for nine days, then the sand, flour, flower petals, sawdust, etc. of which they're made are ceremoniously gathered up and buried in the grave. These are also made during Days of the Dead. The last one in the group is typical of those made for wakes.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2010 19:40:32 GMT
Those pictures remind me of the 'chalk' artists on the pavement that used to be all over France. The quality of their work was extremely variable. In later years, it became apparent that most of them were just taping down cloths that look suspiciously similar to Charlie's photos, rubbing a little chalk over them, and making believe they had done something.
All of them have disappeared now.
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