One night in Oaxaca…Oaxaca City for Dia de Los Muertos 2012

On October 31 I took a cab to Xoxo to see the preparations for Dia de Los Muertos. It was a small town outside the city of Oaxaca. The cab driver dropped me off as the sun was going down. I was amazed at the setup they had outside the cemetery a stage for dancers and bands, people selling artwork, and a food court with the best of Oaxacan street cuisine to feed the people. Since I got there early there were hardly any people outside and I was wondering who would come here tonight. As I was waiting around for the people start coming, a man approached me and asked me where I was from, I answered him Sacramento. He then invited me over to his mother’s grave and begun to tell me how built this wonderful metal altar for her. You could see his eyes how proud he was and how much he missed his mother. He told me that soon his sisters would come with flowers, gifts and how the whole family would be coming to celebrate her life. He was so open that my defenses went up and it took me some time to realize that this is how it is here in Mexico. This man I never met before opened himself up to me and it was among the most beautiful unique experiences I’ve ever had. Soon it was time to say goodbye and I thanked him for his stories. I walked around to look at all the other altars that people have built for their loved ones. As the night fell and the candles lit up the cemetery I saw smiling faces, people laughing, people drinking and maybe one somber face. The people started pouring in and soon the celebrations started. I wish I could show you the visuals, I wish you could hear the sounds, I wish you could be there for the experience.