THE DAY OF THE DEAD - A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

By Henry Wilds, Founder and Director of the Adventure Travel Institute

An edited version of this article appeared in the October/November 2008 issue of the local publication “Moonshine Ink”

People have often asked me, “what is the Day of the Dead?” They have somehow learned of my fascination with this celebration, and my annual autumn pilgrimage to a remote region of Mexico’s colonial interior. The answer is not simple, and my attempts to explain are often aggravated by the fact that most people need a simple explanation. They need to start out slowly to try to come to terms with a topic that is by nature not appealing to most Americans- DEATH. The good news is that the Day of the Dead is not really about death. At least I don’t think that it is. The Day of the Dead is about life, and about living each day to the fullest. On one level, you can say that the Day of the Dead is about the dead. Not about their deaths, but about the accomplishments of their lives, and therefore, the legacy they created in life. Each year their descendants return to the cemeteries of their towns and villages, often from as far away as the U.S., to celebrate those accomplishments and their contribution to the living culture. On another level, the Day of the Dead is about families and family members- about those who are alive to live and remember, and those who have passed on to the other side. The Day of the Dead is also very much about communities. Each year the families of every town and village in the Lake Pátzcuaro region converge on their cemeteries to clean and decorate graves, join together to enjoy the company of their loved ones (both alive and dead), and to honor communities with their rich history and vibrant culture.

My name is Henry Wilds. For more than 30 years I have traveled in late October on a very special journey- my spiritual pilgrimage to a very special place- the Lake Pátzcuaro region of the Mexican state of Michoacán, for a very special event - the Day of the Dead.

Why Pátzcuaro? Just ask the Mexicans. Lake Pátzcuaro is revered throughout Mexico for its great natural beauty, rich colonial history, and resilient traditional culture.

The Pátzcuaro region is beautiful. Lake Pátzcuaro is perched high in the volcanic mountains of the Mexican Plateau about half-way between Guadalajara and Mexico City. The lake is at 7,000 feet while the nearby pine covered volcanoes of the Tarascan Sierra rise to well above 11,000. Just to the west, the slopes of the central plateau abruptly end, and plunge into the humid tropics. The result is a remarkable variation of climate and vegetation from pine trees and potatoes up high, to pineapple and papaya down low. Lake Pátzcuaro is large and decorated with 22 lovely colonial towns and villages that dot the shore and major islands. The most famous of these islands is Janitzio, a picturesque fishing village and Mexican tourist destination crowned by the imposing “Mexican Statue of Liberty” honoring José María Morelos, a true hero of the Wars of Independence. Situated on the southern end of this lovely lake, the town of Pátzcuaro is the small but vibrant hub of the lake region. With one of México’s most impressive colonial plazas, the center of Pátzcuaro is an adventure friendly labyrinth of cobblestone streets, ancient colonial buildings including many impressive churches, numerous tranquil plazas, bustling markets, inviting shops and fine restaurants. Few foreign tourists visit Pátzcuaro, but many have been to Cuzco near Machu Picchu in Perú. To grasp the quality and tranquility of Pátzcuaro, imagine a smaller, more intimate Cuzco, without the foreign tourists.

Pátzcuaro is rich in history. Well known as a fine architectural relic of the 16th century, Pátzcuaro is crowned as Mexico’s most colonial town, and almost all the red tile and stucco buildings downtown date from the Spanish colonial period. But the penetrating ancient ambiance of this remarkable relic has roots that go much deeper than its enchanting colonial facade. Some mornings in the fall, a heavy blanket of lake fog quickly lifts and dissolves to unveil the ancient colonial gem, like a city lost in the hidden backwaters of centuries past. Pátzcuaro was founded in 1540 by the dynamic humanist Vasco de Quiroga. A secret follower of Thomas More, Quiroga was a lawyer, judge, and personal friend of the King of Spain who, as the first Bishop of Michoacán, worked vigorously to protect the local indigenous people and mold the region into what in modern times is often called “Utopia Mexico.”

The traditional roots of this culture reach back even farther to the pre-Spanish past, and the Tarascan or Purépecha culture which thrived at the time of the conquest. Evidence of this ancient way of life is everywhere, from the pre-conquest foundations of later colonial buildings in Pátzcuaro, to the many archaeological sites around the lake where farmers plow their fields of maize and beans in the shadow of their ancestors’ monuments.

But what makes this region truly special isn’t its beauty, or history. Pátzcuaro is not only a fine historical relic, it is a magnificent bastion of traditional culture. It is the people, whose style of life is a reflection of the ancient ways, that make this region special. Many villages still speak “Purépecha.” Others now speak Spanish, but in so many other ways are intimate with their past- from the crops they grow and the food they eat, to the visible culture- their fabulous arts and crafts. Beautiful ceramics from Capula and Tzintzuntzan, weavings from the Sierra, and hand hammered copper from Santa Clara are only a few examples of the artistic skill of Michoacán artisans that make the region the heart of traditional craft production in Mexico.

The culture of a people may be best seen and appreciated through their festivals, and Pátzcuaro is best known for its world famous celebration of the Day of the Dead. Don’t expect to visit other places in Mexico and see a festival of this quality. Pátzcuaro’s celebration is the most traditional, or least changed “Día de los Muertos,” and is the product of Pátzcuaro’s unique status as a relic forgotten in time. Every day on the streets of the city you see the meeting and mixing of traditional and modern life. The origins of the Festival of the Dead are blurred into the distant past. As it exists today, the “Day of the Dead” is a blend of pre-conquest traditions and Spanish Catholicism. The result is a moving and delightful celebration, an exotic adventure into another world and another way of life. This journey has enriched my life as well as the lives of the people who have come with me over the years to observe and enjoy this festival. It is impossible here to condense the nature of so diverse a celebration into a quick “sound bite.” Part of what makes these ceremonies so interesting is that they are very different. Of the 22 villages in the region, there are no two that celebrate in the same way. Even the timing varies greatly. Some villages celebrate the festival on the night of November 1st (Noche de Muertos), while others celebrate on the day of November 2nd (Día de los Muertos), and yet a third group waits until the evening of the 2nd. Each village has its own signature- a unique blend of decorations and customs. Indeed, each family has its own unique blend of traditions. One common thread does seem to be the belief at some level that the spirits of the dead do return and are present with their families in the cemeteries. This is evident in the faces of the people who, for the most part, are eager to share with us their very personal moments and beliefs, and to even talk about their beloved relatives. It is so very uplifting to see the joy, not sadness, of these families and communities during the remarkable Days of the Dead. And it is this uplifting spirit that has pulled me back year after year to the wonderful region, people and festival. The intensity and quality of these people have enriched my life and will continue to do so. I often tell my Spanish students and fellow travelers that they will always know where to find me on the night of November 1st of each year - alive or dead.