Day of the Dead

Here in Jalisco the Day of the Dead is Celebrated on November 1 and November 2.  Add Halloween night in the mix and by looking at the store shelves, one would think the Mexican cultural relishes ghoulish ghostly happenings .  The truth is the Day of the Dead is not what most Americans think.

From what I have learned the day of the dead is to literally throw a welcome home party to make their loved ones feel comfortable in their new existence.  Grave sites are cleaned, food and flowers brought in.  And the living family spends a day or two celebrating live and death at the cemetery.  Mariachi bands play, here in Tlajomulco there was a parade from the church to the main in town cemetery. There was a small market area set up outside of the cemetery gates, selling everything from turnips to scary masks and gorgeous bouquets of flowers.

I tried to be discrete with my camera, not understanding that this was a happy party as opposed to the day of mourning that surrounds most when they visit the grave-sites of their dearly departed.  These are just random shots of my first day of the dead.

Mask for sale at the market

Two kids watching the crowds from their patio

Pan (sweet breads)

The traditional celebration of Dia de los Muertos started over 3,500 ago by the Aztecs who practiced a month long celebration that honored those who had died and
welcomed their spirits back to earth for a visit.

fresh coco water

Just inside the cemetery walls,  cotton-candy 

she waits patiently in the shade  for customers

Headstone

flowers 

the band is warming up for the party

this is a house for the dead

a family's headstone

large poinsettia bushes

Flowers are also symbolically important part of day of the dead. Many face-painting designs of skulls incorporate flowers, and this symbol has a meaning of its own. The flower most associated with Dia de los Muertos in Mexico is the marigold, or Cempazúchitl which is known as the flower of the dead. In Aztec belief the marigold was sacred to Mictlantecuhtli, their god of the dead. According to Mexican belief, the souls of departed family and friends return to earth on the day of the dead, and it is believed the strong scent of marigold helps to guide them back.

cleaning out the casa

every spec must be cleaned out

welcome to the cemetery, be sure to pay your upkeep fees.

Toys are brought for dead children (los angelitos, or "the little angels"), and bottles of tequila, mezcal or pulque or jars of atole for adults. Families will also offer trinkets or the deceased favorite candies on the grave. Ofrendas are also put in homes, usually with foods such as candied pumpkin, pan de muerto ("bread of dead"), and sugar skulls and beverages such as atole. The ofrendas are left out in the homes as a welcoming gesture for the deceased

some sites are simple tombs and others look like homes

Jesus is important.  

. Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the "spiritual essence" of the ofrendas food, so though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities, they believe it lacks nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so the deceased can rest after their long journey. In some parts of Mexico, people spend all night beside the graves of their relatives. In many places, people have picnics at the grave site, as well.

cool candle holders

street market

undressed

dressed

look at how big those turnips are!

cool candy

flowers and sweet bread

who needs a reason to play dress up? shopping is reason enough

Campeonato Nacional Charro

Went to my first Charro competetion last week,   For those in America this loosely translates to rodeo.

Unlike the traditional american rodeo this was not about hurting animals but all about the skills of the Charro.  How he/she controls both the horse and the stock.  This test of skills is all done while accompanied by Mariachi bands.  It was really exciting for me to be there as I both love horses and music.  I have fallen in love with the sounds of Mariachi, the guitars combined with the  big brass sound.  (Some bands include accordians.)

I found in the program the following description of what the competition is about:

The Big Halt

Start of a Pivot

Cala De Caballo

 "The first task requires a lot of discipline an understanding between the horseman and the horse.  Because the horseman has to show the good reins and tamemes of his animal."    This was when the Charro rodé as fast as he could and then was judge on the length of time it took to stop his horse.  I could not decide if they were measuring the number of steps the horse took in stopping or if they were measuring how straight of a line was kept.  The next was turning the horse first in one direction for a time and then in the reverse.  The horse was to use one hind leg as a pivote.  The measurement was how close was the circle created by the pivot leg.  They then lined the horse up and quickly turned a 180.  Trying to do this in one giant step.  They then did this again,  Leaving the stadium the horse and rider were judge on the straight line of walking the horse backwards for a distance.  I would guess that it was about 15ft that the horse had to walk backwards)

Pivoting

He's doing a 180deg turn

 Piales En El Lienzo

It consists in stopping wild horse's run tieing its backlegs.  Being the "Charo"

Manganas A Caballo

The competidor plays his rope, riding his horse and also must knock a wild horse down tieing its forelegs.

Charro playing his rope 

Jineteo De Yegua

It is to ride a wild horse with only a rope tied around it 

Manganas A Pie

This task is known as the romantic part of "Charreria" because a charro standing on the arena, plays his rope beautifully and in the indicated moment ties a wild horse by its forelegs.

Paso De La Muerte

A "Charro" riding his horse without a saddle, must jump to a wild horse in a fast run.

Getting ready to jump

Coleadero

"Charro" riding his horse has to knock down a bull.  To do this, the "Charro" must touch his hat with his hand , slip the bull's back, take his tail, tangle it around his right leg and pull.  Making his horse run faster.  This along a 60m run.

Reaching for the tail.


Jineteo De Toro
It is to ride a bull with only a rope tied around the animal's body.  The "Charro" must be riding the bull until it stops jumping. (this is done with no spurs on the boots or tacos in the rope to aggitate the bull)

Bull riding 

Escaramuza Charra

A group of eight ladies riding mexican style and performing different types of exercises. ( I was only able to witness their entry parade not any of the exercises)

love how they include the youngest of riders

Terna En El Ruedo

This taso is formed by "LazoA La Cabeza" where the "Charro" must tie the bull's head or horns and hold it up while another competidor makes "Pial En El Ruedo" where the "Charro" has to tie the bull's backlegs and pulo until the bull falls down.

Above all else today I learned that the Mexican rodeo is all about his family.  There was not one instance I saw where a father/mother did not put the children first.  This was not about overcoming another animal or man, only showing what skills each man had.  The men helped each other, cheered each other on and even gave lessons when asked for advice.