Saturday, November 03, 2012

Day of the Dead

Lima, Peru: Artists perform an indigenous dance called huaylia at the Virgen de Lourdes cemetery (Photograph: Rodrigo Abd/AP)

Guatemala City, Guatemala: A woman visits the grave of her late husband in Sumpango (Photograph: Saul Martinez/EPA)

San Gregorio, Mexico: A girl in costume stands beside her brother's grave  
(Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/AP)

Kolkata, India: A family light candles over a relative's tomb  
(Photograph: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images)

Zagreb, Croatia: A man lights candles at Mirogoj cemetery 
  (Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters)
  
See more of this excellent photo essay entitled "Day of the Dead around the world – in pictures" here

The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1-2 in conjunction with the Catholic veneration of All Saints' Day and All Souls Day but it is not historically limited to this religious tradition.

There are also influences that trace back to Aztec traditions and latter day Voodoo practices too.

Onward! 

2 comments:

Kimberly said...

Thanks for sharing this.

I have always wanted to go to a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico.

I am fasinated by this beautiful traditon.

Now I can see there are more countries to go to.

I think I'll put an alter up today for the loved ones I have lost.

To love!
K

Ridwan said...

Hi Kim:

I am happy to know that you found the pictures and the link to the photo essay engaging.

It is fascinating and got me to thinking about life and death.

The picture of the old woman standing at her husband's grave in Guatemala City is very powerful.

When I traveled through Mexico I came across cemeteries that made me stop to explore.

Unlike many burial spaces that are dour by design many graves are brightly adorned in Mexico.

And with the influence of Moorish architecture some graves looked like small mosque-like structures.

I think it is a wonderful part of living to remember the dead.

Yep, to love! and the Great Mystery ...

Ridi