What can I do in Pátzcuaro on Day of the Dead?
Patzcuaro is a must when we talk about the Day of the Dead in Mexico. A “feast of the souls,” which we know as the Night of the Dead (night of November 1), is an ancestral ritual of the original (indigenous) people of this region, the Purépechas, when the souls of the deceased return to share life, however briefly, with their loved ones.
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| Day of the Dead in Patzcuaro, Michoacan |
It is important to understand the above, and if you are moved to visit local cemeteries at this time, please do so with all respect. Altars and offerings are placed where the people of the different communities miss and love their dearly departed, whose tombs have been decorated in expectation of their return to share a moment with the living.
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| Day of the Dead in Patzcuaro |
For the celebration of "Ánimecheeri Kwínchekwa," cemeteries and houses are filled with the cempasúchil (bright yellow marigolds, among other flowers) and candles. People go to the cemeteries with different foods in baskets with beautiful embroidered napkins as part of the "ofrendas" (offerings). Among the most popular dishes are pozole, tamales, atole, fruits, and breads. Also included in the typical ofrenda (which are often installed in private homes and even restaurants) may be certain "passions" of the deceased, such as playing cards or other forms of diversion.
Pátzcuaro becomes the
epicenter of the action. What makes it complicated for our guests at Hotel Mansión Iturbe, is to find the ideal route to visit the cemeteries. It will
depend how
much time
they have available, and the time of day or night they want to do it. You can choose between visiting the cemeteries of
the Lake District (such as Ihuatzio), or one of the islands of Lake Pátzcuaro.
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| Day of the Dead at Patzcuaro Lake Region |
Visitors are discouraged from visiting the cemetery of Janitzio on the very Night of the Dead because space there is so limited.
But if I want to visit the Janitzio cemetery on Day of the Dead, how do I get to the island of Janitzio on the Day of the Dead?
To get to the main island ofJanitzio - or any of the other islands of Yunuen, La Pacanda, or La Tecuena, you have to pay a small amount of money to take a boat from one of the two main docks that the communities manage: The “Muelle General” or the “Muelle se San Pedrito.”
Land-based communities you can visit include Tzurúmutaro, Ihuatzio, Tzintzuntzan, Santa Fe de la Laguna, Arocutín, Urandenes, Jarácuaro, and ErongarÍcuaro.
Visit the official site for more information.
Finally, to complement your experience, be
sure to visit the Night of the Dead Artisan Market at Plaza Vasco de Quiroga, right across from
our Mansión
Iturbe,
as well as the Antiguo Colegio Jesuita Cultural Center where the best of
Michoacán's Folk Art is displayed in the Artisan Contest.
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| Day of the Dead Ofrenda for Doña Francisca de Iturbe at Mansion Iturbe in Patzcuaro |
Come and experience this celebration which is so important for residents of Michoacán.
If you want to visit one of
our local cemeteries on Day of the Dead, think about arranging the trip early
in the morning, when you are likely to find some locals sitting there, where
they may have spent the entire night at graveside.
*Text and pictures property of Hotel Mansión Iturbe.
We invite you to check more post in our blog, you will find information about our Pátzcuaro and its surroundings that we hope will be useful for your next trip to our colonial town in México.
Here are some post that we suggest you:
Janitzio the legendary Island of Lake Patzcuaro
Five places to relax and unwind near Patzcuaro
Six "Artisan Craft Routes" of Patzcuaro
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