Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Jalatlaco, candles, cempasúchitl, Day of the Dead, Día de Muertos, flowers, images of the saints, marigolds, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, papel picado, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle on November 10, 2022| 8 Comments »
Every Día de Muertos, I love seeing the artistry of public ofrendas, feel honored being welcomed into the homes of friends and placing pan de muertos on their very personal ofrendas, and enjoy assembling my own ofrenda to departed loved ones. (Click on each image to see the details.)
I love the spicy and welcoming scents of cempasúchitl (marigolds), lacy flor de muerto from the Sierra Norte, pan de muertos, and incense of copal.
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, tagged altars, Barrio de Jalatlaco, calacas, calaveras, candles, catrinas and catrins, cempasúchitl, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, fruit, Galería Shadai, Los Pilares Hotel and Restaurant - Flowers, marigolds, Oaxaca, ofrendas, pan de muertos, papel picado, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons, skulls, sugar skulls on November 1, 2021| 16 Comments »
Day of the Dead altars and their offerings to the departed vary from region to region and, within those regions, from family to family. Ofrendas (offerings) are an integral part of Día de Muertos. They are a beacon to the departed, an ephemeral work of art, and the sum of their lovingly chosen parts. As you can see from the photos below from several in Barrio de Jalatlaco, even on public display, they are intensely personal and creative.
Galería Shadai – Flowers, papel picado, candles, incense, pan de muertos, fruit, nuts, a casserole, and beverages.
And, there is a catrina tapete de arena (sand carpet) made of sand, beans, and flowers.
However, the only photo is of Maestro Francisco Toledo placed on a side pedestal.
Los Pilares Hotel and Restaurant – Flowers, papel picado, catrinas and catrins, candles, fruit, pan de muertos, and beverages.
And, there is a beautiful floral arch.
No photos of loved ones, but it’s a love story to the state of Oaxaca.
Family ofrenda – 5 de mayo at the corner of La Alianza. Family photos of the departed take center stage with papel picado, cempasúchitl (marigolds), and skeletons playing supporting roles.
Then there are those magnificent floral candles like one sees in Teotitlán del Valle.
And, lest the departed can’t find their way home in the greatly expanded city, an old photo and skeletons await outside the altar alcove to show the way.
Last but not least, my altar and offerings. It was a creative challenge to set up in the new Casita Colibrí.
It’s smaller than previous years, but I have figured out a way to make it bigger and better next year.
A yellow (color of death in pre-hispanic southern Mexico) tablecloth; papel picado (cut tissue paper) signifying the union between life and death; cempasúchitl (marigolds) and flor de muerto from the Sierra Norte, their scent to guide the spirits; and cresta de gallo (cockscomb) to symbolize mourning. There is salt to make sure the souls stay pure and chocolate, peanuts, pecans, apples, mandarin oranges, and pan de muertos (Day of the Dead bread) to nourish them. The sweet smell of copal incense and its smoke help guide my loved ones to the fiesta I have prepared for them. There is water to quench their thirst, as they travel between worlds, not to mention mezcal and cervesa (beer). And, there are the tangible remembrances of my departed — photos and some of their favorite things.
With candles lit and incense burning, I’m loving it and hoping my very dearly departed will find it warm, nourishing, and welcoming.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, ceramic sculptures, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Estudio Dinamo, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photos, Three Wise Monkeys, Voces de Copal Galeria on December 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The Three Wise Monkeys…
Well, maybe not monkeys! From the Día de Muertos altar “Transitions” by Estudio Dinamo at Voces de Copal Galeria.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photos on November 13, 2020| 17 Comments »
Living and being in Oaxaca during the Días de los Muertos is hard to put into words. There is so much to experience and to think about. It is the ofrendas that touch me the most — they are all so personal, even those on display to the public. And, one of the unexpected delights of tracking down the chairs of the Silla Calavera project, was to see the Day of the Dead ofrendas constructed by the hotels and restaurants also displaying the chairs.
Sensory overload challenges the limits of heart and mind and, especially this year, my emotions ran the gamut from extreme exhilaration to quiet joy to being moved to tears.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged calacas, calaveras, Día de los Muertos, decorations, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photographs, photos, sugar skulls, Tlacolula de Matamoros on October 27, 2015| 6 Comments »
To borrow from Meredith Willson, it’s beginning to look a lot like Muertos…
Everywhere you go.
No “five and tens” here…
Just a street stall set up in Tlacolula de Matamoros.
Beginning to shop for my Día de Muertos ofrenda.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Xochimilco, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santo Tomás on November 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »
an offering.
an integral part of the Day(s) of the Dead celebration.
filled with meaning.
a beacon to the departed.
an ephemeral work of art.
the sum of its lovingly chosen parts.
This is another ofrenda from the previously mentioned “altar decorating” competition on the plaza in front of Santo Tomás in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco barrio.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Xochimilco, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santo Tomás on November 3, 2012| 7 Comments »
Living and being in Oaxaca during the Días de los Muertos is hard to put into words. There is so much to experience and to think about. Sensory overload challenges the limits of heart and mind and my emotions are running the gamut from extreme exhilaration to a quiet joy to being moved to tears.
The latter occurred a few days ago, when I walked up to the Templo de Santo Tomás in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco barrio (neighborhood) where an “altar decorating” contest was in progress. Altars were to be judged on authenticity, originality, and creativity. When I arrived, friends and relatives were in the midst of putting the final touches on their altars. Some were elaborate and some exhibited real artistry, but one really touched my heart.
He was alone — no one to help, no playful banter. When I first arrived, he was carefully etching a cross with a piece of charred wood on a stone.
He worked silently and with purpose, pulling items out of a well-worn sugar bag and carefully placing them on his altar.
When the bag was empty, he walked over to a cart and pulled out another one.
Slowly, his vision emerged, with symbology I have only a cursory grasp of and won’t presume to explain.
I don’t know who won the 5000 peso first prize or second or third place purses, and I don’t know if he was doing it for the money (he certainly looked like he could use it).
All I do know is he and his ofrenda moved me deeply.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 