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 Vallarta Living | December 2005 
Vivendo en Mexico (Living in Mexico) 9
 Korah Winn - PVNN
I called home recently and heard reports of all the things I miss most about autumn in Illinois. I miss the trees changing colors and getting to wear jackets because the air is brisk. It has been a steady 86 degrees Fahrenheit here with almost continuous humidity.
I know someone back home who would switch places with me in a heartbeat because they like muggy weather. I actually would love to switch and experience fall back home but I am holding out for the promised terrific weather that is supposed to arrive here mid-November. I am looking forward to the day when soft tropical breezes are what I get to wake up to in the mornings.
With hearing about autumn back home, it got me thinking about how different the whole season is down here. We just celebrated Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Halloween is not a normal holiday here but it has pretty much infiltrated its' way in through the steady flow of extranjeros (foreigners) moving down here.
It is not uncommon to see "gringo" bars filled with adults decked out in costumes for Halloween. It is one big party where everyone gets to be someone else for a night if they choose to be. This is pretty popular given the fact that a lot of people who move down here permanently are usually trying to reinvent themselves in the first place.
With Halloween making inroads in Mexico, there has been some backlash because of the crash of traditions between it and Dia de los Muertos. My friend Elizabeth was born and raised in Tijuana and she said that it is even worse in border towns. She is an artist and has actually created sculptures that protest the infiltration of this foreign holiday. She does not want to see her country lose its' customs concerning Dia de los Muertos.
The celebration actually lasts two days. The first day (November 1st) is to celebrate the children who have passed away. The second (November 2nd) commemorates the adults who have have died. It is very common for altars to be set up to memorialize the dead. Often, the favorite foods of the deceased are placed on the altar along with things that brought the person comfort. It is common to see a favorite brand of cerveza (beer) or a dulce (sweet) that the person liked.
It was explained to me that the spirits of the dead supposedly come back that night and visit the altars. If they actually came then the evidence of this is that the food will be odorless in the morning.
When I first started seeing decorations appear I was a little aghast. Catrinas are very popular during the celebration. Catrinas are little skeletal statues dressed up fancy clothes with wide brimmed hats. I wondered why such odd figurines were used in the celebration. I had to look at things from a different point of view to come to terms with all of this.
Elizabeth told me that these statues are common in Mexico because it is this culture's way of acculturating children to the idea of death. Instead of death being scary, the statues actually mock death somewhat and try to show that it is not something to be afraid of.
Hearing that information gave me a whole lot more insight into a celebration that was completely foreign to me. Anyway, if you see something for Dia de los Muertos that looks odd to you, just think how wierd our gutted out calabanzas (pumpkins) must look to people who do not celebrate Halloween. ‘Salud!
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