DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION IN MICHOACAN
The Mexican state of Michoacán is located in the central region of Mexico, southwest of Mexico City. The Day of the Dead is an important religious and cultural celebration, it said to be one of the most important representations of the living heritage of Mexico and the world, and one of the oldest and strongest cultural expressions of indigenous groups in the country.
This central region of Mexico is heavily influenced by the indigenous culture of the Purepecha. Town names reflect the language of the Purepecha and many cultural traditions are still observed, especially regarding the Day of the Dead. One of the traditions that can be witnessed in the city of Morelia is the ringing of the bells. The bells can be heard day and night during the days of celebration and many people consider the bells to be the voices of the town calling their souls home to guide in their travels and to help them to recognize their houses.
In the bustling city of Morelia truckloads of bright orange marigolds- cempasuchil, make deliveries to construct the many altars that line public streets, parks and other public spaces. Most families build altars for their departed loved one in their homes or in the cemetery, where they will await their souls return to celebrate together the one day of the year that the line between death and life is hazy enough that they can come together.
In the heart of the historic downtown area of Morelia city lies the Plaza Morelos, where an amazingly huge altar is prepared to honor the traditions of the day of the dead. One of the modern interpretations of the Day of the Dead in this urban juxtaposition of cultures is the Living Katrinas Exhibition, where young people enact different scenes of death living everyday life. They are painted to look like skeletons and Katrinas. The Katrina is an elegant representation of death as an upper-class lady skeleton that has become an icon of death in everyday life in mainstream Mexican culture.
The many colorful altars and displays throughout this region of Mexico, for the Day of the Dead, are truly a treat to the senses and provides a loving outlet for remembrance our dearly departed.
Andrea was born and raised in Montreal by a Mexican mother and a French Canadian father. She studied cinema and photography in Argentina and Montreal, and has now been living in Playa del Carmen for several years. Both her Mexican and Canadian roots are an important influence on her identity and how she perceives the world through her photography and writing as the content creator for BuyPlaya Real Estate Advisors www.buyplaya.co and the blogs at https://www.buyplaya.co/playalife/
Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/andy_foodie_lifestyle_rm/