Oaxaca's Day of the Dead Celebrated in San Gabriel Etla

The Day of the Dead celebration in the Zapotec village of San Gabriel Etla, Oaxaca, offers a profound cultural immersion distinct from the urban festivities of Oaxaca City. In the fall of 2019, the author and their wife spent two months in Oaxaca City, timing their visit to coincide with Dia de los Muertos, an annual observance honoring deceased relatives. The tradition involves families placing photographs of departed loved ones on temporary altars, known as ofrendas, allowing them to visit the living for a single night before returning to the spirit world. Seeking a deeper understanding and firsthand experience of this holiday, the couple joined a tour organized by Coyote Aventuras, specifically for the Day of the Dead in San Gabriel Etla. Upon arrival in the village around 6 PM on November 1, the group was welcomed into the home of a local family of eight. They were served the traditional meal associated with the holiday, including Pan de Muerto, a sweet bread often decorated with bone-like shapes. The village of San Gabriel Etla, located north of Oaxaca City on Highway 190, is a Zapotec community with a population of approximately 500 people within the municipality of San Juan Bautista Guelache. The experience began with this intimate family dinner, setting a tone of warm hospitality and cultural exchange. Following the meal, the international travelers, many of whom had their faces painted in traditional calavera (skull) designs, embarked on a town-wide celebration. This evolved into a "party-hopping parade" that continued through the streets until sunrise, showcasing the vibrant and enduring spirit of the community's observance. While Oaxaca City prepares for the holiday with decorative sugar skulls in shop windows, marigolds, skeletons, and papel picado adorning its streets throughout October, the author emphasizes that experiencing the holiday itself is best achieved by venturing outside the city into smaller, rural communities like San Gabriel Etla. This rural setting provides a more authentic and less commercialized encounter with the traditions and communal spirit of Dia de los Muertos. The journey north from Oaxaca City in a 15-passenger van, accompanied by a decanter of mezcal, foreshadowed the lively and unexpected events that would unfold throughout the night, blending excitement and a touch of apprehension among the international participants.