Michoacán, ready for Night of the Dead

Morelia, Michoacán.- As one of the most important traditions, the Night of the Dead has arrived to be celebrated on November 1 and 2 in the communities of the Lake Zone of Michoacán, which covers the municipalities of Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Quiroga and Erongarícuaro, they reported in a statement.
Offerings, rituals, altars and prayers fill the cemeteries and homes of these municipalities, showing the ancestral tradition that consists of remembering the people who departed in life and that, through these manifestations, the natives of the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro fervently believe that their loved ones return tonight to visit them.
Among the main cemeteries you can visit is the Tzurumútaro Community Pantheon, located at the entrance to the municipality of Pátzcuaro on the road to Morelia. In this place, since the night of November 1, the inhabitants of the place arrive to decorate the graves with marigold flowers, copal, candles and the food that their relative enjoyed in life. Thus they prepare to keep watch all night waiting for the souls.
Departing from the pier of Pátzcuaro you can reach the island of Janitzio. Here, thousands of visitors gather in the cemetery located on a natural terrace in front of the large body of water, but if you are looking to live the tradition in a discreet way and enjoy the ceremony in harmony with the community, the island of Pacanda is the place.
To get here, small boats depart from all the docks of the lake, however, the shortest and most comfortable journey is made from the dock of the town of Ucasanastacua, in the municipality of Tzintzuntzan.
Also in Tzintzuntzan, some of the most spectacular offerings in the region are made, with very elaborate designs and some of them of monumental size in its municipal pantheon, as well as in the esplanade of the convent of Santa Ana, and in the world-famous Yácatas, where the Purépecha formed their ceremonial center.
The community of Santa Fe de la Laguna, in the municipality of Quiroga, is considered one of the most important towns of the Purépecha culture, where the indigenous language, dress and gastronomy are preserved with great splendor. This community is located on the shores of the lake, 27 kilometers from the city of Pátzcuaro and three kilometers from the city of Quiroga. The ceremony takes place on November 2, in the early afternoon in its picturesque pantheon.
These places have this celebration in common as an ancestral event that unites the world of the dead with the land of the living, where for one night a year they can perceive the spirit of those loved ones who went ahead on the road.
Therefore, in order to be part of this experience, it is vital that as a tourist you maintain respect for tradition; avoid stepping on tombs, offerings, and altars; asks for permission to take photographs; And if you want to enter a home, ask to be invited and bring an offering to venerate the dead who are waiting there, such as fruit or flowers.
We also recommend that you wear comfortable and warm clothing, due to the low temperatures and the fact that light rain can occur. All the activities within the framework of these dates can be consulted on the visitmichoacan.com.mx page, or on the social networks of Michoacán el Alma de México.

Original source in Spanish