Altars, ofrendas

I've got a few more pictures to put up from the Mexico tour. I'm at the post-tour stage where I'm wondering if it was just a lovely dream. The pictures remind me that I was truly there. I keep finding small themes in my pictures. Here's one.

Here's an ornate baroque altar from a church in Queretaro. In the middle is the Virgen de Guadeloupe, who is deeply important in Mexico. I recommend zooming in to look at this picture.

This little altar was deep inside Las Grutas de Garcia.

In contrast, the Day of the Dead ofrendas are temporary. This was part of the ofrenda in Xochimilco. Don't these skeletons look dapper?

And speaking of dapper, these paper skeletons were decorated by kindergarteners and preschoolers at the Liceo de Monterrey. I took this and the next picture in part to explain to North Americans that as I wrote earlier, Day of the Dead is a giant celebration for the whole family, not scary at all for small children. One of the teachers at Tomas Moro was telling me how her small children love setting up their altar, choosing who it will be dedicated to (her brother-in-law who died a few years ago), deciding which of his hobbies to display.

This altar is on the wall at the Liceo de Monterrey, perpendicular to the decorated skeletons above. It includes pictures of family and friends who have died.

El Dia de los Muertos

When I learned that I would be in Mexico in October and November, I was thrilled: I'd be here for Day of the Dead! Officially, it's All Soul's Day, but there's huge lead-up to the holiday. This holiday has its roots in ancient indigenous civilization. It's NOT Halloween, and is not scary, but is a joyous celebration of the ancestors (Kent reminded me that it's not much different from the "begats" in Genesis). All over Mexico, people create altars (ofrendas), display skulls and skeletons, eat pan de muerto and have a giant party. Families go to the cemetery to clean the graves and have a good time.

Though it's not Halloween, in recent years, some of the trappings of Halloween have come into Mexican culture: children dress up and hold out plastic jack-o'lanterns for candy or money.

Marigolds are traditionally used in the ofrendas, as are offerings of food, sugar (or clay) skulls, skeletons dressed as upper-class ladies. Some of the ofrendas are very personal, showing pictures of family or friends who have died. Some are political, some are historical, some are general. There are markets where chocolate skulls and sugar skeletons are sold. Here are some of my favorite pictures of the holiday (I'll do another post with more pictures and less chat).

This is an ofrenda I saw in a small park near my hotel.

Outside a restaurant in Queretaro, with my best skeleton smile.

Another ofrenda in the park near my hotel. Frida Kahlo!

These are made of sugar!

Mexico City, Friday of the first week

I'd better get this down before I forget! On Friday, the taxi driver insisted that I be ready to go at 6:15 a.m. Not the taxi driver who had toilet paper next to the crucifix on his rearview mirror, but a different one:
This taxi driver, Pedro, was early enough to take me to a convenience store so I could get a coffee to start my day. Here, 24-hour stores aren't open in the way they are at home. They're closed but have an opening in the gate where you can ask the cashier for what you want.

Anyway, I arrived at Escuela Alexander Bain with time to spare. I met Celia, the teacher who had set up the performances, and Martine, the English coordinator before I began with the fifth graders. Then I had the fourth graders, then a break before the third graders came in. The kids understood really well and asked excellent questions. During the third-grade session, some of the grandmothers came to listen. They come to the school every Friday to read to the kids. Celia wasn't able to stay for the performances, but Martine did. In between the sessions, we had a great wide ranging conversation (with a little in French) about families, school, Montreal, stories, Pinocchio, and more.

In the break (hot dogs with chiles, and tea), she told me that the cleaners at the school set up an altar (ofrenda) for Day of the Dead. It used to be done by the art teacher, but the cleaners asked if they could do it. Here are a few pictures of the ofrenda in progress:



Pedro came back at the end of the morning and drove me to the apartment of Victor Arjona and Angel del Pilar, two Mexican storytellers I'd never met. I was early, so Angel took me for a walk in the neighborhood while Victor cooked. When we got back, Alberto and Inno were there, along with Victor's brother. The apartment smelled fabulous: Victor is an incredible chef. We sat down to a leisurely and delicious meal. Toasted red onions with a breadcrumb and cheese crust, gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce, apple strudel, three kinds of wine, Mexican coffee and limoncello. And of course, as happens with storytellers, great conversation. It's always a pleasure to meet storytellers around the world. Victor and Angel were some of the most welcoming and hospitable I've met.

It was a full and satisfying day. We waddled to the corner to get a cab back to the hotel. I don't know about Alberto and Inno, but I fell into bed early and slept well.