Day of the Dead Oaxaca, Mexico, History
The Day of the Dead Festival in
Oaxaca is a three-day November
holiday when families clean the
graves and prepare the tombs for
the return of the spirits.
Oaxaca is a three-day November
holiday when families clean the
graves and prepare the tombs for
the return of the spirits.
A visit to the cemeteries near Oaxaca on the first two nights of November can be a magical time
because of the thousands of candles and the marigolds and cockscomb flowers that decorate the
tombs. Each village celebrates at different times and with different intensity but the evenings are sure
to be unique as families come to the graveyards to sit by the tombs and wait for the spirits to return.
because of the thousands of candles and the marigolds and cockscomb flowers that decorate the
tombs. Each village celebrates at different times and with different intensity but the evenings are sure
to be unique as families come to the graveyards to sit by the tombs and wait for the spirits to return.
The markets are full of flowers that the families will use to decorate their home altars and tombs
Marigold and cockscomb are the flowers with special meaning. The marigold is called the Fleur de
Meurto, the flour of death. In the evening the family sits by the tomb and waits for the return of the
spirits.
Marigold and cockscomb are the flowers with special meaning. The marigold is called the Fleur de
Meurto, the flour of death. In the evening the family sits by the tomb and waits for the return of the
spirits.
In the new cemetery of XoXo Cotlon, artist Juan Cruz Pascual decorates with a sand painting replete
with Christian motifs
with Christian motifs
In the town of Tlalixtac south of Oaxaca City the
families sit by
the decorated tombs while brass bands move
through the cemetery
families sit by
the decorated tombs while brass bands move
through the cemetery
Part of the excitement of the
season in Oaxaca comes when
the shops in the cosmopolitan city
decorate with candles and flower
petals in an unspoken competition
of artistic display
season in Oaxaca comes when
the shops in the cosmopolitan city
decorate with candles and flower
petals in an unspoken competition
of artistic display
www.SoftSeatTravel.com
Oaxaca's Day of the Dead History:
The Day of the Dead has a long history in Oaxaca that goes back
thousands of years. The custom of leaving an offering at the tomb
is in evidence when archaeologists excavate old tombs and find
vessel with food residue left as gifts for the departed.
Other forerunners of the ritual in Oaxaca are hard to pin down. The use
of Marigold flowers and the spreading of flower petals in a trail to
the grave and the inclusion of chocolate in the building of an altar
(ofrenda) does more than hint at a pre-Hispanic origin for the custom,
however, since chocolate is a new world plant and spreading
flowers before the feet of the emperor was a common pre-Hispanic
ritual.
In any event during Oaxaca's Day Of The Dead the indigenous people
decorate their home altars with marigold flowers, chocolate,
loaves of special bread, and candles and then on the last day of
October they decorate their tombs. They invite visitors to come to the
cemetery as they sit by the graveside in a night vigil of waiting for the
return of the spirits.
Oaxaca City becomes an exciting place to be during the festival with
music, Oaxacan art, museum exhibitions, and the decorating of
altars in the streets, Oaxaca's hotels and shops decorate their entry
ways and the restaurants feature the regional cuisine of Oaxaca as
they spend the last week of October preparing for Oaxaca's Day of the
Dead. See Schedule below
The Day of the Dead has a long history in Oaxaca that goes back
thousands of years. The custom of leaving an offering at the tomb
is in evidence when archaeologists excavate old tombs and find
vessel with food residue left as gifts for the departed.
Other forerunners of the ritual in Oaxaca are hard to pin down. The use
of Marigold flowers and the spreading of flower petals in a trail to
the grave and the inclusion of chocolate in the building of an altar
(ofrenda) does more than hint at a pre-Hispanic origin for the custom,
however, since chocolate is a new world plant and spreading
flowers before the feet of the emperor was a common pre-Hispanic
ritual.
In any event during Oaxaca's Day Of The Dead the indigenous people
decorate their home altars with marigold flowers, chocolate,
loaves of special bread, and candles and then on the last day of
October they decorate their tombs. They invite visitors to come to the
cemetery as they sit by the graveside in a night vigil of waiting for the
return of the spirits.
Oaxaca City becomes an exciting place to be during the festival with
music, Oaxacan art, museum exhibitions, and the decorating of
altars in the streets, Oaxaca's hotels and shops decorate their entry
ways and the restaurants feature the regional cuisine of Oaxaca as
they spend the last week of October preparing for Oaxaca's Day of the
Dead. See Schedule below
More Info
Tourist Information Center
Secretaria de Tourismo
Colonial Center,Oaxaca
Tel. 951-516-0123
How to Get There
From the Zocalo go north to the Llano Park and
the theatre building at 703, the office is on the
right side of the building.
Tourist Information Center
Secretaria de Tourismo
Colonial Center,Oaxaca
Tel. 951-516-0123
How to Get There
From the Zocalo go north to the Llano Park and
the theatre building at 703, the office is on the
right side of the building.
During the Day of The Dead, flowers decorate the tombs and home altars. Families leave offerings for the
spirits in the home and at the cemetery, they leave paths of flower petals to guide the spirits..
spirits in the home and at the cemetery, they leave paths of flower petals to guide the spirits..
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Oaxaca Day of the Dead Schedule of Cemetery Visits
October, 31
Xoxocotlan. This town a few miles southwest of Oaxaca City has two Cemeteries, Cemetario Viejo, and
the new cemetery Nuevo.
October 31, the village of Atzompa holds a later cemetery vigil starting around 11 pm.
Day of the Dead November 1
San Felipe del Agua, north of Oaxaca City,
Oaxaca City Cemetery, Panteon General on the east side of the city
Tlaixtac de Cabrera, six miles south east of Oaxaca City
Vllage of San Antonino Castillo Velasco A flower growing village that celebrates a week after the others
October, 31
Xoxocotlan. This town a few miles southwest of Oaxaca City has two Cemeteries, Cemetario Viejo, and
the new cemetery Nuevo.
October 31, the village of Atzompa holds a later cemetery vigil starting around 11 pm.
Day of the Dead November 1
San Felipe del Agua, north of Oaxaca City,
Oaxaca City Cemetery, Panteon General on the east side of the city
Tlaixtac de Cabrera, six miles south east of Oaxaca City
Vllage of San Antonino Castillo Velasco A flower growing village that celebrates a week after the others
Day of the Dead Oaxaca, Mexico History goes back thousands of years. The
custom of leaving an offering at the tomb is in evidence when archaeologists
excavate old tombs and find vessel with food residue left as gifts for the departed.
custom of leaving an offering at the tomb is in evidence when archaeologists
excavate old tombs and find vessel with food residue left as gifts for the departed.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  |
Custom Search