Altars for the dead: homecoming of the souls
By Jesús Ibarra

Since even before the Spanish conquest of this country, death has held a unique cultural meaning for its people. In the present day, Mexicans dedicate November 2—Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead—to remembering their loved ones who have passed on.

Thousands of people gather in cemeteries around the graves of those they have lost who nonetheless live on in the memories of their families.

Altars to honor the dead are constructed in homes and cemeteries; their predominant colors of purple—the color of mourning—and orange—the color of the marigold, known by the ancient names cempasúchil or cempoalxóchitl—are thought to attract the souls of the dead and celebrate the continuity of life. A photograph of the deceased adorns the altar, as well as personal belongings and foods he or she used to prefer. It is believed that on this day the souls of the dead visit their living relatives and eat the special food that has been prepared, such as mole, tamales, a pastry called pan de muerto, decorated with stylized bones and skulls, and calabaza en tacha (pumpkin in a syrup of unrefined sugar, piloncillo, flavored with cinnamon). 

As in many parts of Mexico, in San Miguel de Allende altars are set up not only in private homes but also in public spaces. Here, among several others, altars are created at the Jardín, the Biblioteca Pública, Instituto Allende and the San Juan de Dios cemetery. This year, many of them will be dedicated to Don Manuel Zavala, known by the moniker PPKBZON, the beloved founder of radio station XESQ who died on November 2, 2006. 

 
 
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