Day of the Dead Parties and Jane's Party for Thorny
The ''Day of the Dead'' El Día de los Muertos is a remarkable celebration in the Oaxacan region. This year it was particularly poignant for those of us at the Casa because Jane organized a special series of events plus a big party to celebrate the life of Thorny, her husband and our good friend. While there were events scheduled for the Casa's visitors the entire week prior to Muertos (some of which are posted on the blog), the big events started on October 31 when we visited various artisans in the villages getting ready for their celebrations.
That evening we visited the cemetery in San Bartolo Coyotepec with Don Valente, son of Donna Rosa of the Black Pottery, and then went to their home for hot chocolate and tamales.
The family generously let us celebrate with them and drink their wonderful hot chocolate.
The top half of the altar at Dona Rosa's family
After that we slept for a few hours and then early the next morning we all piled into the vans and went to the cemetery in Atzompa to experience that community's all night vigils.
This is the entrance to the cemetery in Atzompa
I couldn't get over the magical feeling with all the candles. Families were cleaning graves, covering them with flowers, eating, drinking some had small fires, others had friends. All were talking but it was quiet, no great outpouring of emotion. It was very special.
The next day we stopped by on our way home from Irma's. It definitely looked like the day after a good party but there was virtually no litter, no beer cans and half eaten food. Talk about good recyclers!
The evening of Sunday, November 1st was Jane's party for Thorny at the Panthnon in Oaxaca. It is a huge cemetery and with one exception Thorny is the only gringo buried there (he would have loved that).
His gravesite is planted with cacti (for Thorny) and is surrounded by beautiful and colorful tile underneath the branches of a Eucalyptus tree.
We got there early evening laden with arms full of flowers with plans to clean and decorate the gravesite. No time for sadness. We had to party!
It was a carnival outside the actual cemetery - ferris wheels, food stands, music, cotton candy, flower stands, darts, you name it... and it set the tone for the evening.
The staff for the Casa arrived shortly after with food and drink, including a gas can full of delicious home-made Mescal. Graciela made tamales and we had hot chocolate, beer, wine, coffee and other delicious yummies.
Amado and Kohral : They were "in charge" of the Mescal gas can
We sang and danced and celebrated Thorny
Gringo friends came as did Mexican friends and we kept celebrating....
The parents of these kids in costume stopped by to see what all the crazy gringos were up to. They thought we were crazy...their dog was in a tuxedo!
Jane and Thorny
The next day we went back to the cemetery to clean up and say goodbye to our friend who must have been rockin and rolling all night, where ever he is.
That evening we visited the cemetery in San Bartolo Coyotepec with Don Valente, son of Donna Rosa of the Black Pottery, and then went to their home for hot chocolate and tamales.
The family generously let us celebrate with them and drink their wonderful hot chocolate.
After that we slept for a few hours and then early the next morning we all piled into the vans and went to the cemetery in Atzompa to experience that community's all night vigils.
This is the entrance to the cemetery in Atzompa
The next day we stopped by on our way home from Irma's. It definitely looked like the day after a good party but there was virtually no litter, no beer cans and half eaten food. Talk about good recyclers!
The evening of Sunday, November 1st was Jane's party for Thorny at the Panthnon in Oaxaca. It is a huge cemetery and with one exception Thorny is the only gringo buried there (he would have loved that).
We got there early evening laden with arms full of flowers with plans to clean and decorate the gravesite. No time for sadness. We had to party!It was a carnival outside the actual cemetery - ferris wheels, food stands, music, cotton candy, flower stands, darts, you name it... and it set the tone for the evening.
The staff for the Casa arrived shortly after with food and drink, including a gas can full of delicious home-made Mescal. Graciela made tamales and we had hot chocolate, beer, wine, coffee and other delicious yummies.
Amado and Kohral : They were "in charge" of the Mescal gas can
Jane had hired a trio with guitar and stand up base who arrived late but played their hearts out for Thorny for over three hours.
Gringo friends came as did Mexican friends and we kept celebrating....
The parents of these kids in costume stopped by to see what all the crazy gringos were up to. They thought we were crazy...their dog was in a tuxedo!
Jane and Thorny
The next day we went back to the cemetery to clean up and say goodbye to our friend who must have been rockin and rolling all night, where ever he is.
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