Yo lo pregunto

Yo Netzahualcoyotl lo pregunto:
¿Acaso de veras se vive con raíz en la tierra?
Nada es para siempre en la tierra:
Sólo un poco aquí.
Aunque sea de jade se quiebra,
aunque sea de oro se rompe,
aunque sea plumaje de quetzal se desgarra.
No para siempre en la tierra:
sólo un poco aquí.

(Netzahualcoyotl.)

(I ask/ I Netzahualcoyotl ask it:/ Do we really live rooted in the earth?/ Nothing lasts forever on the earth:/ Just a little here./ Even if it is jade it cracks,/even if it is gold it breaks,/even if it is quetzal plumage it tears./Not forever in the earth:/Just a little here./ Netzahualcoyotl.)

Mixquic, that means “in the mezquite (tree from arid lands) or in the mezquital”, is one of the most visited places during Día de Muertos (All Soul’s Day). This is because itss celebration is very attached to the tradition, besides of the merry town fair where a huge variety of mexican snacks (including the traditional small town bread) are sold and there’s marichi music and comic representations alluding death.

The preparations for the celebration begin since the middle of October in the houses of every family. In the entrance, a paper star with a light inside it is hung. This is kept until the 3th of November. This light is put with the intention of guiding with it the visiting souls. Days before the celebration, the house as well as the family graves are prepared: They have to be very clean and fresh so the souls may find rest and tranquility during their visit.

The Offerings.
They are for the souls that are visiting us, so they may feed with the essence and scent of the food that our families or loving ones prepare for them. The offering allows us to be near our death ones and dialogue with remembrance. It is meeting again with a ritual that invokes memory.

In the offerings are put several things that the death ones used to eat or drink: They are offered water to quench the thirst. Salt: As a purifying element that prevents the corruption of their body during the arrival and the journey back the next year. Candles: Where the flame means hope and helps as a guide to find their old places, besides of lighting their way back to their dwelling. (In some offerings, each candle represents a death person.) Copal (incense): As an element that sublimates the prayer, cleaning the place and frightening the evil spirits. The Flowers: With their colors and scent, they perfume and decorate the place during the souls stay.

With the petals of he yellow flower of the cempasuchil or zempoalxochitl (pot marigold) that in nahuatl means “twenty flower”, colorful and scented paths to the houses and offerings are outlined. It is believed that in the darkness the souls distinguish clearly the yellow color.

El Petate (the Matting): A bed or table to let the souls rest. El Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead) and sugar canes: They are related to the tzompantli (palisade with skulls) -the bread represents the defeated enemies skulls and the sugar canes are the stakes where these were put-.

There are many other things such as the picture of the death relative, a dish with mole, fruits, sugar skulls, tequila or other liquor -depending on his or her preferences-, a cross signaling the four cardinal points to prevent the soul from getting lost, purple and yellow paper chains that represent the union between life and death, papel picado (traditional cut paper), personal objects and/or things the deceased liked.

The celebration begins the 30th of October with the family offerings. At midnight, 12 bell strokes are given announcing the arrival of the children’s souls.

Día de todos los santos. (All Saints day)
The 1st of November is dedicated to los muertos chiquitos (the little death) because it’s believed that they come running first, because they are still children. An offering with white flowers and candles is prepared for them. The white represents the purity of the innocent ones. These offerings are decorated with little toys painted with bright colors; thus, when the souls of the little ones come, they may play as when they were alive. The dog Izcuintle, a toy that must be present in the children’s offerings, is the one that helps the souls to cross the Chiconauhuapan river, the last border of the Mictlán (Nahuatl underworld). It most be emphasized that all the elements in this offerings are of small scale and there must not be any element of an adult offering because it’s believed that the souls of the children may get angry or sad and won’t eat what’s offered to them.

In the morning of the 1st of November at eight o’ clock, a breakfast is offered to these little souls. At midday, the church bells ring again announcing the farewell of the muertos chiquitos. It’s time to change the white flowers in the offerings for the yellow cempasuchiles.

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