The area is also known for Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday on November 2 focused on remembering friends and family members who have died, and supporting their spiritual journey. I never understood Día de Muertos until I saw the movie Coco. We watched the movie when it came out, and then again on Nov 2 just before our trip to Oaxaca. The movie is wonderful, and brought tears to our eyes.
Our friends Emily, B.K., Kate, and Bert were going to Oaxaca for a week including Día de Muertos. We figured everything would be very crowded that week, and also I had teaching obligations running through November 2. So we decided to go the following week, Nov 4-11. This worked well, as things were not crowded, but there were plenty of remnants of Día de Muertos. We went out for breakfast our first morning, as we had not yet purchased groceries, and we found a nice cafe in the neighborhood. There was a really nice ofrenda in the restaurant, honoring parents.
We saw offrendas in a number of stores, and the familial sentiments were touching.
Skeletons became associated with Día de Muertos about a hundred years ago, following the publication of an etching called La Calavera Catrina by the Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. The etching went viral, however things went viral a hundred years ago, and La Catrina has become an icon of the Día de Muertos ever since.
Skeletons and skulls were visible throughout the city as part of the holiday decorations.
Love the dancing ladies!