Mexicans honor the departed in Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City. The festival represents the mix of races and cultures in Mexico, with Aztec artifacts and rituals being carried out in the shadow of the towering cathedral in Mexico city's Zocalo Square, once the center of a great Aztec city. Reuters' Pavithra George reports.
In Puerto Vallarta, the dead will soon walk the Earth — so let the parties begin! Starting on October 31st and continuing through November 2nd, the dearly departed will rise from their graves and join the living in celebration. At first glance, the Mexican custom of El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, may sound much like the US custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally starts at midnight on the night of Oct. 31st, and the festivities are abundant in images related to death. But the customs have different origins. In typical Halloween festivities, death is something to be feared. But on El Día de Los Muertos, death — or at least the memories of those who have died — is something to be celebrated. That's not to say that if you happen to be celebrating Halloween in Vallarta, you won't find plenty of fun and frightening activities, costume parties, tricks and treats for people of all ages to enjoy. First and foremost, what's Halloween without chocolate? This year, Xocodiva is offering an array of fun holiday shapes including skulls, witches and ghosts handcrafted in dark and milk chocolate. And while you're there stocking up on holiday treats, make sure to fill out an entry form for your chance to win a pair of Day of the Dead edible sculptures weighing over 4.5 pounds! Open daily from 10 to 10, Xocodiva is located next to the San Marino Hotel in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. Make-A-Wish Mexico Foundation and Christine discotheque are planning a magical night on October 30th. From 6-10 pm, they will be hosting "Una Noche Magica" an esoteric event where experts in card reading, tarot, clairvoyance, Feng Shui and metaphysics will be available for consults. There will also be musical and magic shows and much more to enjoy. Tickets are $250 pesos per person, with proceeds benefitting Make-A-Wish Foundation's charitable pursuits. Call 222-9111 or send an email to rcibrian@makeawishmexico.org.mx for more information. On October 30th and 31st from 3-5 pm, the award-winning Pie in the Sky Bakery in Bucerías is celebrating Halloween by hosting a funny and delicious activity for children under 12: decorate your own mini cake! For more information, call 01-800-849-2339 or visit www.pieinthesky.com.mx. On Halloween night, many local bars and restaurants host costume contests with substantial cash prizes. One such Halloween party will start at 8 pm at the Treehouse Bar and Grill (formerly Miguelito’s) on Basilio Badillo, with live music by The Traveling Band. Call Lori at (322) 223-1263 for details. However, despite the creeping incursion of US-inspired Halloween traditions — costume contests and parties, pumpkins and trick or treat — Mexicans continue to follow the holiday traditions they learned as children. Every year on November 1st (All Saint's Day) and 2nd (All Soul's Day), something unique takes place in many areas of Mexico: Day of the Dead festivities. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (the Aztecs and other Meso-American civilizations) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they were living. Generalizing broadly, the holiday's activities consist of families (1) welcoming their dead back into their homes, and (2) visiting the graves of their close kin. In their homes, Mexicans build altars where they place flowers, food and the favorite objects of loved ones who have passed away. Family members light candles, play music, and pray in a unique joyful mood. At the cemetery, they engage in sprucing up the dearly departed's grave site with flowers, religious amulets and offerings of food, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. They then set out a picnic and share a meal and stories about the departed with other family and community members who gather there. The meals prepared for these picnics are sumptuous, usually featuring meat dishes in spicy sauces, chocolate beverages, cookies, sugary confections in a variety of fun and frightening shapes and, of course, pan de muerto, or "bread of the dead." Because of this warm social environment, the colorful setting, and the abundance of food, drink and good company, this commemoration of the dead has pleasant overtones for observers. However, if you are attending a celebration, it is wise to remember that these are reverent events steeped in generations of tradition and culture. For vacationers and visitors, City Hall presents a special altar exhibition every year, as does the Cultural Center on Rio Cuale Island. Restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries and stores also create altars for everyone to enjoy.
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News from Around Banderas Bay | October 2007 
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