Ajijic residents of all nationalities are encouraged to participate in a festival/party in Ajijic to celebrate Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on the evening of Friday, November 2.
Hector España, who is spearheading the celebration, is arranging a parade to lead the whole thing off, starting at 7 p.m. at the corner of Aldama and Constitucion, traveling west on Constitucion to Seis Esquinas, and making the hair-pin turn to head east on Hidalgo to Ajijic’s principal plaza.
The parade will feature allegorical floats with the Day of the Dead theme (not Halloween).
Folks arriving at the plaza will find a minimum of 12 altars dedicated to community leaders and characters who gave time and treasure to the community during their lives to make things better here. Among those honored will be Morley Eager, Neill James, Manuel Medeles and Ayenara Zara Alexeyewc (“La Rusa”). Short (three-minute) lectures will be given about each of those honored and their contributions.“This will bring these important people to the attention to the children of Ajijic and to those who have recently come to live here,” said España. “They need to know more of our history.”
Traditional holiday food will be available and music from different parts of Mexico with Day of the Dead themes will be played. The celebration will wrap up with a huge “Dance with the Dead” to the music of Ricardo and Blanca. The festivities will end at midnight.
To prepare for the big night, España will provide lessons in papel picado (making the cut-out paper decorations used in traditional Mexican celebrations) and papel mache (used for making death masks) on Tuesdays and Fridays, 7 p.m. upstairs in Manix Restaurant. Please bring along a good pair of scissors and papel de China (tissue paper) in pink, purple, black, white and orange.
España is on the lookout for all those who would like to volunteer in any way to help with the celebration. He needs folks to decorate, cook, organize the parade, donate money for the decorations … absolutely anything.
Call him at (cel.) 331-065-0725. Take this opportunity to learn more about this unique Mexican cultural tradition and have a really good time while doing so.