In Tradiciones

The celebration of Xantolo, in the Huasteca of Hidalgo has become a rite enriched by a series of ceremonies. The first offerings are prepared on September 29^th, during the Festival of San Miguel (Saint Michael). It is believed that San Pedro (Saint Peter) opens heaven’s doors so that the souls may leave and begin to receive their first offerings, which are tamales and coffee.

The second offering is prepared on October 18^th, San Lucas Day (Saint Luke). On this day, they harvest the bananas early so that they are ripe by the day of the celebration.

People clean and paint their homes; the cacao beans are ground to make chocolate; and paper flowers are created for the altars.

In addition, tamales are also prepared in advance to taste the seasoning and check the quality of the corn because the Xantolo tamale ‘is not just any tamale.’

The third offering is made on November 2^nd, when the biggest celebration takes place. The last offerings of tamales are prepared and the arch is demolished the day of San Andres, which is on November 30^th.

The dried cempoalxochitl flowers are carefully collected because they will be used the following year to scatter on the furrows. The residents of some towns like to go to the cemetery that same morning. They take their offerings of food so that they can properly bid farewell to the souls of their loved ones until the next year.

When the arch is already covered by palmilla leaves and flowers, the altar is set on a table. The tablecloth might have cross-stitched decorations or an embroidered image of the Virgin Mary. The Chililico crafts are also painted in vibrant colors for this celebration.

Traditional dishes prepared as offerings include; hot chocolate, round, plump, and delicious homemade bread whose dough is prepared with pork fat, turkey mole, adobo, pipian, and stuffed chili peppers. Tamales called tlapepecholi, tapataxtli or tlaixpiktle, can feed several people and are served with a side of pickled chili peppers.

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Texto and photos by Mary J. Andrade

It was believed in the pre-Hispanic world that death does not exist. It is simply a transition, a voyage through time and space towards true life. This is a quite different concept that what is believed today, where to many people death symbolizes the end of the road. Among the inhabitants of the Huasteca Potosina, however, the acculturated pre-Hispanic Xantolo lives on through the practice of the tradition.

This tradition is kept alive by a vital force known as the chalchuihuitl, (of pre-Hispanic people). This vital force manifests itself in the great tianguis (outdoor markets) of Huastecan towns; in the fields of cempasuchitl (marigolds); in the raising of barnyard animals sacrificed for the preparation of tamales; in the growing of corn; in the making of candles and in the baking of the pan de muerto (Bread of the dead); in the crafting of fireworks, and, naturally, in the making of an arch or altar.

The Xantolo celebration is considered to be a sacred time for man that allows him to keep alive one of his most beautiful traditions. It represents the communion among human beings, between man and nature, and between man and God. It is the link that joins him to his ancestors and projects him as a link between the present and future generations.

For many, the Xantolo festival is even more important than Christmas because its constitutes a reunion with both living and departed family members. Traditionally, it is a time in which those who live in nearby towns and far away arrive to visit their relatives. It is a very intimate moment in which they share food, games, and memories, that help unite and strengthen Mexicans’ concept of the family. Which is that of unity, cooperation, and coexistence.

• Candles symbolize mourning, especially if they are purple in color or if the candleholders has any purple coloring.
• A small ash cross is used if the soul is in purgatory, thereby helping it to leave this place and continue its journey leading to the Creator.
• Medium size sugar skulls placed on the top run of an altar symbolize death that is always present.
• Four candles that form a cross represent the four cardinal points through which souls can be guided to their homes.
• The three small sugar skulls placed on the lower rungs are in honor of the Holy Trinity.
• The large sugar skull also placed on the lower rungs is dedicated to the Eternal Father.
• The aguamanil, soap and small towel are used in case the soul wishes to wash after a long journey.
• The water jug is used for the soul to wet its lips, dry after the long journey from beyond the grave.
• Liquor, preferably tequila, is placed on the altar to remember the wonderful, joyful events of his life with which the soul is persuaded to return to visit his family again.
• The copal is used for its aroma, to cleanse the surroundings from evil spirits; hence, enabling the soul to enter the home without any danger.
• The different foods are placed on the altar so that they may delight in their aroma.
• The big ash cross is used so that upon the soul’s arrival to the altar it may be freed from any pending feeling to remorse.
• The flowers provide decoration and perfume during the souls’ stay so that when it is time to leave the souls will leave content of having shared with their relatives.

Many people in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec hold fast to the Zapotec tradition of having a biquie (pronounced “beqei”) in place of the pyramidal altar. The biquie is the offering or cross made of flowers and fruit, which is decorated with pan de muerto.

The traditional biquie, or cross, extends from floor up to the ceiling, since in some homes the branches of the entire banana plant may reach the titles of the roof (the homes don’t have ceilings), of the living room.

The decoration on the biquie can be exuberant in the arrangements of flowers, fruits, and candles displaying an altar rich in Zapotec tradition. The biquie extends covering practically the whole area of the living room. In front of the altar there is an arch made of two banana plants that almost creates a small room due to their size. Different types of fruits decorate the cross and are intertwined with cempasuchitl flowers, wreath-shaped bread, and coconuts.

The drapes used on the background of the pyramidal altars are black, purple, or white in color. In the biquie the background wall is covered with plants, vegetables, fruits, and bread especially made for the occasion. Each family place their order at the bakery, and the name of the deceased is inscribed on the bread.

Thus on the biquie’s green background of vegetation, brown pieces of bread in the shape of squares and rectangles stand out. White caramel is used to write the name of the deceased on each piece of bread. Between the arch and the “background wall,” a picture of the deceased is put in and placed at ground level, surrounded by candles, sodas, fruits, and tamales without husks for the soul to be nourished by its aroma. Within the arch there is a table with a white tablecloth; on top of which is a variety of fruits and candles.

Behind the biquie is the traditional altar of the house, with the images of the virgin an generally speaking, when a reference is made in regards to the religious syncretism in Mexico, it is the presumption that the gods of ancient times are still present behind the images of the saints. The opposite applies the favorites of the family saints, also decorated with fruits, flowers, bread, and candles. Generally speaking, when a reference is made in regards to the religious syncretism in Mexico, it is the presumption that the gods of ancient times are still present behind the images of the saints. The opposite applies in the case. Behind the biquie, which represents the Zapotec culture, are the religious images of the Catholic cult.

Yucatan it is known as Hanal Pixan which means “The path of the soul through the essence of food;” in the highlands of Michoacan it is known as Jimbanqua or the party honoring with flowers the people who died that year; in San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and in the southern part of Oaxaca it is known as Xantolo and Day of the Dead in the majority of Mexico.

Whatever name is given, this is an ancestral tradition that blended with Catholicism to create a special time and space to remember and honor the loved ones by offering them an ofrenda, the fragrance of the flowers, the light of the candles, the aroma of special foods and the solemnity of prayers.

It is also a time to joke and make fun of death through “calaveras”, poetry allusive to a particular person, generally politicians; sugar, chocolate and amaranth skulls which are given to one another with their friend’s name so “they can eat their own death” and special crafts allusive to different aspects of the living, with skeletons representing daily activities.Little girls dressed in satin blouses and colored skirts, white stockings and shiny shoes are the center of this ceremony.

Wearing the white pinafore, an important piece of the Tarascan feminine attire, the girls calmly comply with the tradition while they are observed from a certain distance by their parents.

This is the way the tradition is passed down from generation to generation. On November 2nd, the souls of the adults are honored in their homes with beautifully decorated altars. Each state has different styles but all of them represent a place where the ofrenda becomes a spiritual communion between life and death.

Again, in each state the making of the altar and the rituals are different. The celebration concludes in many towns with the vigil in the cemetery. In some places the vigil is done during the whole night of November 1st to November 2nd. In other towns the vigil is done during the day.

Mysticism is the rule in the cemeteries, but in many music is also part of the ritual that combines religious prayers with the sounds of the trumpet playing a tune by a Mariachi band. In others it is a trio that sings a song by the tomb or in some cases even a band plays danzones at the entrance of the cemetery. Ritualistic dances are also part of the celebrations in many places honoring the deceased.

Whichever way is celebrated, Day of the Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life and the mission that one needs to fulfill. Death in many situations imparts a feeling of pain and loss, particularly for those who do not know the purpose of their path on this earthly plane. For others, death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection. During the celebration of Day of the Dead all those feelings and beliefs come together in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.

]]> https://dod.mmediaweb.com/mexico-celebrates-life-part-2/feed/ 0 https://dod.mmediaweb.com/yucatan-altar-contest/ https://dod.mmediaweb.com/yucatan-altar-contest/#respond Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:46:18 +0000 https://dod.mmediaweb.com/yucatan-altar-contest/ Every year, an altar contest brings delegations from all over the state to the Plaza Grande in Merida.]]> Every year, an altar contest brings delegations from all over the state to the Plaza Grande in Merida. It is a cultural spectacle based on the religious concept of Hanal Pixan and organized by the Cultural Institute of the Yucatan Government. Winners of local contests are invited to travel to the the capital city to participate in the statewide competition.

The Plaza Grande is converted into a stage where the altars are set up for display. Many religious images adorned with photographs of the dead are present. Favorite prayers are placed at the foot of the altar as well as mucbil chicken, a traditional dish prepared only for this celebration.

During the pre-Hispanic era, death did not exist. Death was seen, instead, as simply a transition, a voyage through time and space towards true life. This is quite a different concept than what is believed today, where people believe death symbolizes the end of the road. Among the people of the Huasteca Potosina Region, however, the pre-Hispanic tradition lives on through the practice of a celebration they call Xantolo.

The Xantolo celebration is considered to be sacred, a time for people to keep an important tradition alive. It represents a communion between humans and nature, and between humans and God. It is the link that joins people to their ancestors and projects people as the link between the present and future generations.

The offerings, a main aspect of the celebration, echo the profound love that the Oaxacan people feel towards life. There are subtle variations in the presentation of the offerings, among the neighboring towns. In Teotitlan del Valle, for example, a predominant place is chosen in the main room of the house to erect the altar.

They use the cempasuchitl and other wild flowers that grow in that region to adorn it. In the valleys of Oaxaca, a tiny little flower called Flower of the Dead growns and blossoms in the months of October and November. When it blooms, this flower covers the countryside with a bright yellow color. People of Ocotlan differ from those in Teotitlan del Valle in that they place the altar in the most convenient place in the home and use the cempasuchitl and a red, velvet-textured flower called rooster’s crest.