So that's it. Halloween done and dusted. But not if you're Mexican. You also have the Dia de Muertos to look forward to!
You might have noticed that the "catrina" or "calavera" look is taking the world by storm- you can find the design printed in bags, T-shirts, posters - almost everywhere. You might also have heard, or even seen The Book of Life already! This film depicts in quite a simple, but very colourful way, what death means to us Mexicans. Even though people are indeed quite sad -and are not afraid to show it, in a huge way!- at the time of death of a loved one, in years to come they are remembered in a much happier way, thank goodness (believe me, a Mexican wake is very depressing ...)
The original design of the "Catrina" was created sometime between 1910 and 1913 by illustrator José Guadalupe Posada. It was a satirical illustration depicting the huge social difference between the rich and the poor in times of Porfirio Diaz, president of México at the time. The Catrina is an image that all Mexicans know from a very young age.
Another thing we are very familiar with is the "pan de muerto" - this is a delicious, rich bread that is eaten throughout October and November. You can walk along streets anywhere in Mexico and you can smell the delicious aroma coming from bakeries and artisan bakers' homes. As I mentioned before, cooking and baking are another passion of mine - so I bake my own Pan de Muerto for my family and friends here in the United Kingdom.
Maria de la Paz Tissier, a Mexican lady who has lived in the UK for nearly 20 years, is the mastermind behind Mexico Lindo y Querido, an organisation which creates colourful events to show Mexico's magical culture to the UK and the rest of the world. She has a team of amazing people who invest their time in organising these fabulous festivals and events for everyone and always free of charge. The admiration I have for Paz is immense, and I am very privileged to have her as a friend. This year´s celebration took place at Rich Mix London in trendy Shoreditch.
We had a great time listening to the "Calaveras" (short poems about friends, family or public figures, usually depicting their deaths in a humorous way), poetry and we also loved watching the dancing routines and singing of traditional Mexican folk songs. There was a main altar with all the traditional offerings - food, drink, pan de muerto, fruit and marigold flowers, which in Mexico we call by their pre-hispanic name: cempasúchitl. This year the altar was made in honour of the 43 students who were "arrested" in Guerrero, Mexico for protesting against the government and nobody knows what has happened to them ever since.
There was plenty of food and drink too, and many planned activities for the little ones, from making printed T-shirts, to decorating sugar skulls (a favourite sweet treat in Mexico!), face painting and dance competitions.
Here are some photos, I hope you enjoy them. :)
