Day of the Dead Celebrations in Felipe Carrillo Puerto
Day of the Dead Celebrations in the Zona Maya
Day of the Dead traditional Maya altar
Day of the Dead celebrations varies across Mexico, from region to region. Here in the Zona Maya, however, Day of the Dead traditions are a rich blend of Catholicism and Maya culture. And in Maya, this special holiday is known as Janal Pixán.Janal Pixán means 'food for the souls'. For the Day of the Dead in the Zona Maya, people decorate beautiful alters with photos of family members. They place their loved ones favorite foods and most cherished items from when they were alive next to their photos. Flowers and candles are placed on graves and remain lit for the whole month, to guide the dead home.
Festival of the Souls, Pixán
Day of the Dead celebrations in Carrillo
Traditional Day of the Dead celebrations in Carrillo
Lighting candles for the Day of the Dead, Carrillo
This year, to celebrate the Day of the Dead, the town hosted its first Pixán, Festival de los Ánimos, Festival of the Souls in English.The three-day festival took place in the evenings at Carrillo’s Parque Central from October 31 to November 2. Scores of residents took the park to enjoy the Day of the Dead festivities and were joined by several national and international visitors.Addressing the crowd during the inauguration of the festival the Municipal President José Esquivel Vargas said: “We must give our traditions and customs the place they deserve, and the souls of our families deserve to be remembered with encouragement, joy, respect and with dignity, that's why this festival is important for our Maya culture and its communities, because things that are worthwhile should be done with professionalism to reinforce our identity”The festival’s program included live music from local artists, such as Maya Pax and Oro Maimai, folkloric dancing, Maya theatre, a nightly parade, the showing of traditional Maya altars and candle displays.
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