Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Yavanna]

Here in Mexico we are preparing to honor the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) on November 2nd.

My students have made an altar with beautiful paper cut-outs, skulls made of sugar, paper flowers, special bread that looks like bones, and little cups of tequila. All the colors are orange, white and purple. The skulls have our names on them.

Tomorrow the people who still practice the old customs will go to the town cemetery and place new flowers on the graves of their families, some of them will bring picnics and have a meal right there in the cenetery with food set out for their departed loved ones. There will be a Mariachi band playing and people selling balloons and tacos.

It's not a morbid thing; it's a way to remember people who are no longer with us, and also that we are all on the same path!

As the commercial concept of "Hallowe'en" gets stronger in this country I am happy to see that some Mexicans are actively holding on to their traditions.

Salud!

[bajelena]

Well wel, it's a strange way to remember them, isn't it? On the other way students are taught to respect those, who are no longer with us, to respect the memory itself -of them. I guess it's a good tradition inspite of the way you celebrate it. MOMENTO MORE or something like this - in Latin. But I would be afraid of siitting there and having a meal- among the Dead... Sorry.

[mo0n]

I think it's a beautifull way to remember the people who are not longer with us. here in the netherlands we haven't something like that.
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--- Monique --- from London temporary...

[bajelena]

o'k dear! here in Russia we just don't celebrate it. That's why I found it strange.