Mexico-Pátzcuaro and the Day of the Dead

Since I've decided to use the next year to find the perfect place for me, I'm taking the time to explore Mexico. To help me in my process, I'm talking... For the past year, I've been talking about my project with the people I meet so that everyone can share with me what the perfect place in Mexico is, from their point of view.

I'm pleased to see that people from Morelia often choose... Morelia as the best place to live in Mexico, but several other cities regularly come up: Guanajuato, Querétaro, Valle de Bravo, Atlixco, Tlaxcala, Xalapa, and Pátzcuaro.

Over the next year, I'll be traveling from one place to another, and... surely a few more will be added to this list. After visiting Morelia, I'm taking the time to explore Pátzcuaro, a small city of about 50,000 inhabitants.

This city was founded in 1320, long before Christopher Columbus discovered America.

Pátzcuaro, with its eternal spring weather, is so pretty and pleasant that many foreigners have made it their home. There are Germans, Spaniards, a few Americans, and who knows, maybe a Quebec-lady in the future.

Let's talk about these foreigners. Between you and me, I don't really seek the company of expats. One or two here and there, but no more. Some cities, like San Miguel de Allende, have welcomed so many Americans that prices are displayed in US dollars and dogs bark in English. These enclaves don't appeal to me at all.

Pátzcuaro seduces me. It is a small, quiet town but has the advantage of being located not far from Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacán, and which offers all the advantages of a large city.

Janitzio

Pátzcuaro also has a very large lake where there are five islands, including the island of Janitzio which is inhabited by the Purépechas, an indigenous people.

The traditional method of net fishing is still used there.

Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead in Mexico actually lasts three days. In Quebec, it consists of three separate celebrations: October 31st (Halloween), November 1st (All Saints' Day), and November 2nd (All Souls' Day).

This "Day" is widely celebrated in Mexico, and the epicenter of this celebration is Pátzcuaro, where one of the most famous celebrations is held. Preparations for the holiday include cleaning and repairing cemeteries and creating flower-filled arches for church doors. Two important commemorations then take place.

Early in the morning of November 1st, the "velación de los angelitos" (the vigil for the little angels) begins to honor the children who died during the previous year.

The festivities then continue, and at midnight, the "velación de los difutos" (vigil for the dead) begins, when residents once again gather in the cemeteries. This time, the men remain outside. The women and children enter with offerings of flowers and food. Then, prayers and songs are recited.

After this "Night of the Dead," as morning dawns, the parish priest collects food for the needy, and the population attends mass.

I love traditions; they connect us to our origins, to our collective memory, and each time, I can't help but make connections with my own traditions, such as La Catarina and the sugar skulls, which remind me of Saint Catherine and the famous taffy.

Sugar skulls, or calaveritas, are typical of the Day of the Dead. They represent the souls of the deceased and are offered as symbolic gifts, in tribute to those who have passed away.

credits: Sugar skulls  tepasa.mx, La Catarina mexicodesconocido.com.mx

credit: archivesvirtuelles-cnd.org, congregation of Notre-Dame, makinf of Saint Catherine taffy

The Mexican Day of the Dead is a celebration of remembrance and a ritual that prioritizes remembrance over forgetting. Its importance has been recognized by its inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

National Pride

Since my arrival, I have noticed how proud Mexicans are of their country. This is expressed in many ways, but the one that touches me most is the songs. These songs glorify the country or region, and which everyone seems to know. Whether I'm on public transportation, in a restaurant, or elsewhere, I see people joining in the lyrics whenever a band or radio station plays these songs that are dear to their hearts. So, I leave you with this tribute to the state of Michoacán, where Pátzcuaro and Morelia are located.