In Oaxaca, a Different Kind of Day of the Dead

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  11.01.06 | 8:11 AM ET

imageToday marks the beginning of Mexico’s Day of the Dead festivities, when Mexicans and tourists alike gather in cemeteries and around town squares to ponder the world beyond and welcome back the spirits of loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is among the most popular places for visitors to get a taste of the holiday, but as the AP notes today, few tourists have made the trip this year due to concerns over ongoing protests in the city and occasional related violence. As one local remarked, “Our celebration is very sad this year, it doesn’t have that happy feeling.”

That’s a shame.

For those interested in one traveler’s experience in Oaxaca during a previous Day of the Dead celebration, check out Leslie Berestein’s World Hum dispatch, Picnicking with los Muertos.

For those considering future trips, Planeta recently posted a Day of the Dead primer.

Finally, for those like me who dig Day of the Dead arts and crafts—those are my skeleton mariachis in the photo—Alyson Ward asks, “Day of the Dead: trendy or spiritual?”

My answer? Both.

Related on World Hum:
* When Tourists Attack

Photo by Jim Benning.