On November 3rd, K and I headed to San Antonino Castillo Velasco — a Zapotec community 24 miles south of Oaxaca city. It is a village known for growing flowers and for the floral embroidery decorating its traditional blouses and dresses.
Their difuntos (departed souls) understand their families are busy providing flowers for altars and tombs in the surrounding villages in the valley and wait until November 3-4 to return and spend time with their living loved ones. Because floral design plays such an important role in the traditions and commerce of the village, it is carried over to the elaborate decorating of the tombs in the panteón (cemetery).
One of the flowers grown is the “flor inmortal” (immortal flower), so named because, even when dried, it retains its brilliant colors. Artisans in the village use these flowers to create intricately designed figures on display December 23 in the city of Oaxaca during Noche de Rábanos and to decorate the graves of loved ones during Día de Muertos.
In the cemetery villagers mix the area’s very fine dirt with water, cover the graves with this damp mud, and use a trowel to smooth it. Once dry, they outline designs and religious imagery into this mud canvas and use flowers (fresh and dried) to paint the scene. Entire families are involved — male and female, young and old. It is a labor of love and incredibly moving to behold.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 