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Tim May | profile | all galleries >> Images of Mexico:: a collection of galleries >> GALLERY:: Day of the Dead ::2005 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

GALLERY:: Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende ::2005 | GALLERY:: Day of the Dead ::2005 | GALLERY:: Contexts for the Virgin Of Guadalupe ::2005 | GALLERY:: San Miguel de Allende ::2004 | GALLERY:: SPIRITUAL ::2004 | GALLERY:: Tecate - On the Border ::2003 | test

GALLERY:: Day of the Dead ::2005

The four year old son of a friend summed it up nicely at his beloved grandfather's funeral - "I hate the life cycle." I sometimes do, too. There is a celebration in Mexico called Day of the Dead which has been helpful to me in dealing with the end of the life cycle. For two days in November the people remember their beloveds who have died. They establish altars which hold food and things that the dead person loved in life. It is part of the belief that the spirits of those who have died come to the alter and enjoy these offerings. Families gather in the cemetery to honor and remember. There is joy and sadness in the remembering.

Our recent trip was planned to coincide with Day of the Dead. I wanted to see how this celebration looked and felt. We were in Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende and saw both the preparations and celebration itself.

I was struck by what I have come to call the public and private aspect of this time. The altars are displayed through out the city, they usually contain flowers, especially marigolds, pictures of the remembered, items they loved, and food. These are public. But by visiting the cemetery of the actual Day of the Dead I also saw the private moments and the grief. I tried to not intrude into this privacy but I think some of these images captured some of that aspect of the festival.

My friend Phil Douglis also has a gallery on this subject: https://pbase.com/pnd1/festivals
Pathway to Remembering
Pathway to Remembering		 Sugar Gathering
Sugar Gathering		 Altar Decoration Vendor
Altar Decoration Vendor		 Altar
Altar
Altar Detail
Altar Detail		 Vendor Stall
Vendor Stall		 Seat Belted Skeleton
Seat Belted Skeleton		 Phoning the Dead?
Phoning the Dead?
Pigeons Return to an Altar
Pigeons Return to an Altar		 Altar Detail
Altar Detail		 Decorator of San Miguel's Altar
Decorator of San Miguel's Altar		 Katrina
Katrina
Day of the Dead Banner Flame
Day of the Dead Banner Flame		 San Miguel's Altar
San Miguel's Altar		 Creating an Altar
Creating an Altar		 Honoring Pope John Paul
Honoring Pope John Paul
Life and Death
Life and Death		 Banners
Banners		 The Cemetery Waits
The Cemetery Waits		 Crowds Gather
Crowds Gather
Marigolds
Marigolds		 Decoration of a Graveyard
Decoration of a Graveyard		 Preparing
Preparing		 Adding Life and Remembrance
Adding Life and Remembrance
Water
Water		 Refracted Color
Refracted Color		 On the Way
On the Way		 Portrait
Portrait
Gravestone Altar
Gravestone Altar		 Color on Gray
Color on Gray		 Insense
Insense		 Color
Color
Sugar Skulls
Sugar Skulls		 Light
Light		 Contrasts
Contrasts		 Hint of Color
Hint of Color
Sprinkling of Life
Sprinkling of Life		 Petals Rain on the Desert
Petals Rain on the Desert		 Gravestone
Gravestone		 Life Woven Through Death
Life Woven Through Death
Color
Color		 Remembering
Remembering		 Remembered 1
Remembered 1		 Peeling Away from Memory
Peeling Away from Memory
Sadness
Sadness		 Remembered 2
Remembered 2		 Candles
Candles		 Matador
Matador
Grief
Grief		 Faded Photo
Faded Photo		 Inquietude Nueva - New Restlessness
Inquietude Nueva - New Restlessness		 Agony
Agony
Honored
Honored		 Sitting at the Cemetery
Sitting at the Cemetery		 Honoring Altar
Honoring Altar		 Remembered 3
Remembered 3
Contemplation
Contemplation		 Remembered 4
Remembered 4		 Sadness
Sadness		 Remembered 5
Remembered 5
The Living
The Living		 Had a Full Life
Had a Full Life		 Caring
Caring		 Remembered 6
Remembered 6
Culture Cross
Culture Cross		 Array of Color
Array of Color		 Remnant
Remnant		 Adieu
Adieu

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Fay Stout26-Jul-2009 16:03
A fascinating gallery! I hope to visit this year for Day of the Dead... something I have long wanted to do. Thanks for this intimate view of this celebration... V.
ruthemily30-Mar-2006 09:24
i could comment on every one of these images... but overall, they provide an intriguing and fascinating insight into this festival. i really feel i've learnt something. you are an amazing photographer, Tim, and i admire your sensitivity.
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