Halloween and Día de los Muertos, San Pancho

For the first time last week, I had the great luck to witness the autumn celebration that tumbles together traditions from Celtic Druid, old Europe, modern United States, pre-Columbian Mexico and Roman Catholicism: the three-day holiday that in today's Mexico combines Halloween, All Saints' Day, and the Day of the Dead.

Often, people from the U.S. are surprised to hear that Halloween is celebrated in Mexico, but apparently "American" Halloween and its customs of costumes and candy has been around for at least 30 years in some parts of this country. In San Pancho and other areas I've visited, it has become one of the children's favorite days, as in the States. They look forward to it for weeks, planning their costumes and drooling at the thought of their loot. Just like us.

My Super-Helper Lidia was telling me about her nine-year-old son Waldo's excitement a couple of weeks ago. I pulled out a face-painting book I have. She was tickled by it. I offered to paint Waldo's face, also Lidia's and her one-year-old son Santiago's, if she'd like. She liked.

So at 5:30 on Halloween, they arrived, all smiles.

Theirs were some of the prettiest faces I saw that night. After they left, I emptied the two bags of candies I'd brought down from the States and another huge bag I'd bought at Lidia's advice that day into a handy handled styro cooler and went out looking for the kids. I followed the sound of "¡Queremos Halloween!" (We Want Halloween! they say, instead of Trick or Treat) down to main street where many of the homes and merchants were open to give out candy. The street was swarming with kiddos.

Halloween is thought to be an evolution of the Celtic Samhain (pronounced Sow-in, because in Celtic you only pronounce the occasional consonant and then you pronounce it exactly as it doesn't look). Dating back around 2000 years, it was a celebration of the end of the light season and the beginning of the dark. Many believed the spirits of those who had died the previous year returned that night, along with some less savory characters from the other side. Thus the costumes, the scarier the better, to ward off the evil spirits and disguise the wearers from potential possessors.

Seems like it would work, doesn't it?

Of course, the tots here are as cute as the tots that used to arrive by the hundreds on our front porch on Capitol Hill in Seattle.

I was intrigued by these little guys, who politely refused my offer of candy because they "already have a lot, thank you."

I had plenty of time to take pictures because the 200+ pieces of candy I had with me disappeared in fifteen minutes.

The next day was All Saints' Day, a Catholic holiday. I asked Lidia how it was celebrated. She said there was a mass, a procession sometimes, and people went into the church to pray. It is often the day devoted to children who have died, the angelitos, or little angels.

The following morning, Día de los Muertos (All Souls' Day in Catholicism) started with a Catholic mass at the cemetery, which is very near my house. Lidia reported that it was packed. In the previous days, people had come to tidy up our somewhat bedraggled little panteón. There was even a sign about it. The cemetery was nice and clean...until it wasn't, the morning after.

At the grade school and at the secondary school, the children made altars for their departed relatives and teachers and classmates.

All through the day and well into the night, people came to the panteón to decorate the graves of their loved ones and spend some time visiting with their spirits, who are known to hear and understand, if not be there physically, although that's not out of the question, either.

I took these photos the day after, not wanting to intrude, but I saw and heard the celebration on Día de los Muertos. It's not a somber occasion. Children laugh and run about, people stay and talk, eat and drink at the gravesites. It is also customary to bring gifts to the departed, something they really liked in life.

Día de los Muertos definitely dates from well before the Spanish conquest. It may be as old as 3000 years, originating with the Olmecs, the customs surrounding it found in many Mexican cultures including the Toltecs, Mayans, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and Aztecs. Again, it was a marking of the time between light and dark, the end of harvest, a time when the veil between worlds was thinner and the spirits of the dead could return. 

This lovely stew of cultures -- ancient and modern, indigenous and European, Pagan and Christian -- is one of the things I like best about Mexico. It was a privilege to participate in and a joy to watch.

Comments

[Judith]

The best part of the childrens' costumes were not even planned . . . the toothless smiles that had a goulish look with all the other face paint. And, your photos of the cemetary really surprised me. In all the years I have lived down here, I have never seen many people clean up the graves or decorate for Days of the Dead. What a nice thing to be happening now, after all these years! Sorry I missed the festivities!

[Gretchen Goodliffe]

My favorite part of your blog was your explanation of the pronounciation of Celtic words!!!!
We were very impressed with the respect the Day of the Dead was given, both for the little children and the friends and family who have moved on to the other side. And your photos of the little Halloweeners... priceless!
THANKS for a little history lesson too... I am never disappointed when I come here on Fridays! Gracias amiga!

[Jeanne]

Love the idea of the altars - great photos of the children.

[Char]

How wonderful.....