During Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), under the sun dappled light filtering through graceful several centuries old ahuehuete trees in the panteón of Tlacolula de Matamoros, the living offer the scent of cempasúchil (marigolds) to guide their departed home. And, to nourish them during their journey between the worlds of the living and the dead, fruit (thoughtfully opened), along with nuts and beverages are provided.
The fruit and flowers during Día de Muertos also beckon me to this Zapotec village in the Valley of Oaxaca and they nourish my soul.
Oaxaca is alive with preparations for Día de Muertos and the Zócalo is filled with altars from her indigenous and Afromexican communities.
Zapoteco – San Melchor Betaza, Oaxaca – Altar Bkog Tse Bene Wat
Náhuatl – Santa María Teopoxco, Oaxaca – Tlamanal-Miquilistle
Cuicateco – San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán, Oaxaca – Altar Cuicateco
Amuzgo – San Pedro Amuzgos, Oaxaca – Altar Ncué Ndó’ Tzjón Noán
Mixe – Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca
Zapoteco – Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca
Mixteco – Villa de Tamazulápam del Progreso, Oaxaca
Mazateco – Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca – Altar El Portal
Mixteco – Santiago Chazumba, Oaxaca – Altar Yodoquinxi
Chatino – Santiago Yaitepec, Oaxaca – Mesa de las Ánimas
Mixtecos Ñuu Savi – Santiago Ixtayutla, Oaxaca
Chontal – Santiago Astata, Oaxaca
Zoque – San Miguel Chimalapas, Oaxaca – Bi KawampΦdΦkay Φy Jama
Chinanteco – San Juan Bautista Valle Nacional, Oaxaca – Altar Tradicional Chinanteco
Triqui – San Juan Copala, Oaxaca – Altar Se Inaj Xhi Aj
Mazateco – San Pedro Ixcatlán, Oaxaca – Altar Autóctono
Ikoots – San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca – Altar De Tikambaj
Pueblos Afromexicanos – Altar de los Pueblos Afromexicanos de la Costa de Oaxaca
The scent of cempasúchil (marigolds) fills the air and beckons the difuntos (souls of the departed) to eat, drink, and be merry with their living loved ones.
Even the recycling bins in Oaxaca are getting into the spirit of Day of the Dead.
Calle Independencia side of the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la AsunciónIn front of the Iglesia de GuadalupeZócalo side of the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
And cempasúchil (marigolds) to beckon the difuntos (departed), plastic bottles, and tin cans.
Cempasúchil (marigolds), the flowers synonymous with Day of the Dead, have begun appearing throughout the city. Alas, not in the quantity we are used to.
As I have written previously, because of the acceleration of the Covid-19 cases, the City of Oaxaca will not permit public Day of the Dead celebrations and events.
So it’s a subdued Día de Muertos season we are living.
While the yellows and oranges of the marigolds seem to mirror the semáforo amarillo and naranja (yellow and orange Covid-19 traffic lights) we are bouncing between, they brighten the days and impart a familiar and welcome scent.
Today the sun (finally) came out and hundreds (thousands?) of pots of cempasúchil (aka, cempoalxóchitl, cempaxochitl, cempoal, zempoal, flor de muertos) arrived in the city center.
This was a photo op not only for yours truly but also the local press, as they trailed after the wife of Oaxaca’s governor while she viewed the unloading…
and planting of the iconic Día de los Muertos flowers in the beds of the Zócalo and Alameda.
The color and fragrance of the cempasúchil provide a lovely setting to sit and contemplate the world (and check your cell phone).
Oaxaca is putting on her best to welcome her difuntos (deceased) along with the thousands of tourists who will soon be arriving.
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View From Casita Colibrí 