Mexican villages try to preserve authentic Day of the Dead – KXAN Austin

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AROCUTIN, Mexico (AP) – The famous Day of the Dead ceremonies around Lake Patzcuaro, Mexico, were again overcrowded with visitors on Monday, an economic relief for a tourism-dependent region that was hit by the pandemic shutdown of surveillance last year suffered.

In the seaside town of Patzcuaro itself, tourists were spoiled with a parade, theater and music performances.

“Come and visit us, Patzcuaro welcomes you with open arms,” ​​said Julio Arreola, mayor of the city in the western state of Michoacan, which is famous for its squares and architecture from the colonial era.

But in some of the smaller lakeside villages, residents tried to preserve the authentic, non-touristy taste of traditions that have been handed down over centuries.

While children in Mexico City wore Halloween costumes based on the Netflix series “Squid Game”, the people in the village of Arocutín were more concerned with the flower arrangements and candles that were supposed to bring the spirits of the dead home.

Arocutín residents began hanging traditional marigold garlands early on Sunday morning to decorate the entrance to the small local cemetery.

Arocutín remains a loser: it is the only town in the region where the cemetery is in the churchyard and where all the graves are dug directly into the earth, surrounded by a simple ring of stones, instead of the more elaborate cement and brick vaults used elsewhere.

“Our aim is to preserve tradition as well as possible,” said Alma Ascencio, the representative of the local artisans. “Tourism has distorted everything. This is a celebration but a religious one, so there is no music or much alcohol. It’s very private, something completely different. ”

While Janitzio Island in Lake Patzcuaro is the place best known for the colorful Day of the Dead celebrations, the tiny island remains closed to visitors to avoid crowds.

This raised concerns that tourists might flock to smaller villages nearby.

These concerns can be overstated. The only American woman in Arocutín on Monday was Georgia Conti. The retired health manager just decided to move to Arocutín because of its beauty and traditions and now lives here with her dog.

When she was building her home with her late husband, they found bones believed to be those of a soldier killed during the Mexican Revolution in 1915.

“Some tourists come here, but here is a different world. I respect their traditions very much, ”said Conti. “The villagers are very hospitable and told me I could put my mother’s ashes here next to the unknown soldiers. I will probably be buried here when I die ”.

The Day of the Dead has its origins in indigenous cultures and has been celebrated for thousands of years, but tourists didn’t come to Arocutín until 2002. Residents are open to sharing their costumes, but refuse to change them in any way.

“We’re not celebrating Halloween here. We’re not Americans, we celebrate our dead. Our culture is rich enough here in Michoacan and Mexico, ”said Ascencio as he prepared garlands of marigolds.

Preparations for the Day of the Dead begin on the 31st, when residents decorate the graves with marigold arches and candles.

This is the night Mexicans celebrate their deceased children, while the night from 1st to 2nd is dedicated to the adult dead.

Arocutín is one of the few parishes where a church bell rings to call the souls and lead them back to the land of the living so that they are not lost. Every community has a different sound. This is also one of the few churches where people stay up all night offering food and gifts to the deceased.

“We live with our dead. We bring them all the things they liked while they were alive. Sometimes it’s a beer or a tequila with a cigarette, ”says Alma Ascencio.

Elizabeth Ascencio lost her newborn 20 years ago and comes every year to decorate the small stone tomb with marigold petals to guarantee his return for the night.

“This is a special day, a beautiful day,” said Elizabeth Ascencio. “We go to great lengths to welcome our dead”.

Every year the city erects a large ornate arch at the entrance to the cemetery. For many, this is the door through which the dead enter.

According to tradition, the only force that allows residents to lift the tree trunks that form the arch is only the souls of the children, who respond to the sound of the bells and come to their aid.

Clusters of Mexican marigolds adorn another monumental wooden arch that lies on the floor of another small cemetery not far from Arocutín. One group of residents patiently tie the flowers to the tree trunks while others rest or enjoy a taco in the sun. The villagers decorate the arches and then lift them into place.

Cecilio Sánchez, a construction worker and resident of the neighboring city of San Francisco Uricho, learned from his ancestors how to make the flower arch.

“But for all of us our bow is much nicer than the one in Arocutín,” said Sánchez.

Maria Ermenegildo, 69, is a traditional embroidery craftsman who has lived in Arocutín all her life.

“We always did it that way,” said Ermenegildo as he finished the last marigold garlands before the big night. “No other village can decorate and celebrate like we do. We are very proud every time tourists tell us how beautiful everything is. “

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