A festival with colorful kites that reach up to 22 meters in diameter and a celebration in which human skulls are venerated to ask for abundance are some of the traditions that are present during the Day of the Dead in other Latin American countries.
The Day of the Dead is one of the greatest Mexican traditions and is celebrated in dozens of ways: from the setting up of monumental altars in Michoacán to the Hanal Pixán in the Yucatán peninsula. However, outside our country, there are also other Day of the Dead celebrations in Latin America.
It was the Spanish who brought the Catholic celebration of the Day of the Faithful Departed to Latin America, explains a document from Vanderbilt University. This holiday was mixed with various indigenous rituals that honored the dead.
How the Day of the Dead is celebrated in 4 Latin American destinations
- Sumpango, Guatemala
In this Guatemalan municipality, every November 1st a great festival of giant kites is held, which reach from two to 22 meters in diameter. Tradition indicates that the kites represent the union of the underworld with the world of the living. There are colonial chronicles that document the existence of these kites since the 17th century.
In addition to the Sumpango Festival (which has been organized since 1978), families in this municipality located an hour from Guatemala City scatter flowers on the threshold of their houses and hang bouquets on the windowsills or any other entrance; they also set up altars with candles, fruit, water, and liquor.
- Arequipa, Peru
In the region of Arequipa, whose capital is a World Heritage Site, there is a tradition called Fiesta de las Guaguas y Mazapanes (Festival of Guaguas and Mazapanes) that is also part of the most colorful Day of the Dead celebrations in Latin America. It is celebrated throughout November, although All Saints’ Day is its raison d’être.
Mazapanes are the dessert you already know, with almond dough, sugar, and egg. Guagua is a sweet bread that is traditionally prepared in the shape of a baby (its name comes from Quechua and refers to one), although it can also emulate an animal, a famous person or another recognizable figure. They usually have a small plaster mask with a face on it; the bread comes plain or with fillings such as raisins and chocolate.
If you travel to the city of Arequipa, to which there are connecting flights from Mexico, you will find various options to try traditional bread. You will also discover how families visit cemeteries on November 1 to honor their dead, as well as share baby food and marzipan.
Day of the Dead in Latin America Arequipa
- Jujuy and Salta, Argentina
In the provinces of Jujuy and Salta, in the northeast of Argentina, the Day of the Souls is commemorated every November 2. In Andean towns it is believed that the relationship between body and soul does not end with death, but is transformed; once a year, the soul of the dead returns to enjoy a banquet that their relatives prepared.
If you visit these provinces, which can be reached from Buenos Aires, you will be able to see altars filled with paper flowers, animal-shaped pieces of bread, coca leaves, and dishes that the deceased enjoyed in life. The altars are distinguished by their large number of elements gathered together and the color of the flowers. It is also traditional to set up altars in cemeteries and family homes in Jujuy and Salta, destinations characterized by their amazing mountain landscapes and community tourism projects.
Jujuy, Argentina
- El Alto, Bolivia
The families of the Aymara culture, present in destinations such as La Paz and El Alto, set up a type of altar called apxata or All Saints’ Table every November 1st, which contains foods such as tantawawas bread (very similar to guaguas in Peru), coca leaves, llama meat and fermented corn drinks.
In the Andean region, there is also the Festival of the Ñatitas, which is celebrated on November 8th. This tradition consists of the veneration of human skulls that are unearthed and placed in cemeteries with flower decorations; they are asked for good fortune, abundance, and health.
Without a doubt, the cultural and natural diversity of our region makes it an unmissable destination at any time of the year.
Source: foodandtravel.mx
