Oaxaca is known as the artistic capital of Mexico and there was lots of neat art to commemorate Dia de Los Muertos. In general Dia de Los Muertos is a holiday to celebrate loved ones who have died, but due to American influence, there is also a lot of Halloween type activities. Pumpkins, kids in costumes, etc.
Really cool shaped earth reliefs on the plaza (this is all colored dirt!)
The sculptures were huge!
TD's favorite of course was this one...
Many differently decorated skulls on the path between the Zocalo and Santo Domingo
Very creative and all different. There was even a lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) one!
People put up an Ofrenda (Offering) in their homes with pictures of loved ones, foods, candles, and lots of marigolds (cempazuchil).
There were several parades on the night of Nov. 1.
Our hotel was in Jalatlaco, and they had a large neighborhood Comparsa on the night of Nov. 1.
A comparsa is a public theater (you can see them on the stage here - though with the masks and poor sound system, we couldn't understand anything.) where people get together for dancing, music and fireworks, visit the houses of family, and finally end up at the cemetary where they put flowers on the grave and sit together til dawn. Its an all night party, and thankfully we had earplugs to drown out the fireworks and brass band.
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