November 1st is the “Day of the Dead” in Mexico, a celebration and time to remember the deceased. Mexican families create small alters in their homes and place artifacts relating to the dead on them, for examples photos, perhaps toys etc to remember and honor them. We were lucky to experience the preparation for this with the sale of sugar skulls, bread of the dead and other cultural items related to the festival. It is nice this festival hasn’t spread to the USA and become overly commercialized. When I first heard of it, I thought of some sinister ghoulish spectacle and as I learned more about it, my appreciation increased significantly.
Visiting Mexico around this time you will also see depictions of skeletons or calacas as they known locally. We were fortunate to be able to visit an exhibit of calacas made by school children in Puebla. I have shared some pictures below of them and they are incredibly detailed. Each represents and honors a specific dead person.
To my friends in Mexico, I hope you have enjoyed Dia de los Muertos!
Andy Robbins Photography 