Día de los Difuntos

Every year on the 2nd of November, families across the country come home.  The bus terminals crowd over as children and grandchildren who have moved away travel back to be with the older generations in the places they all grew up.

Each hometown is slightly different in the customs its residents observe on this Day of the Dead.  The indigenous populations in and around Otavalo gather the family at the gravesite of a deceased loved one, spread a blanket, and unpack a full picnic, turning the cemetery into a festive, if solemn, outing that unites the entire community.  Cuenca is known for the candlelight vigil that parades through the streets on the eve of the holiday, as well as for offering the best of the foods - colada morada and guaguas de pan (bread in the shape of swaddled babies) - traditionally associated with Day of the Dead.

Guayaquil, in many ways set apart from the rest of the country, does neither of these things.  Perhaps this is due to its large transient populations; many who live here associate elsewhere with "home," and so end up leaving the city for the holiday.  Those who do have their roots here often come from different backgrounds as well, meaning that in the end, there is no one custom for Guayaquilenians to follow when it comes to Day of the Dead. 

Nevertheless, some friends and I made the trip out to the city cemetery on November 2nd to see what was what and to pay our respects.  We encountered more people in the cemetery on that one day than I have seen all the other days of the year put together.  Most families simply tended their loved ones' graves, clearing off overgrowth, touching up paint, and adorning headstones with flowers.  A few had brought blankets and food (eating the deceased family member's favorite dishes at their gravesite on this day is a way to remember, honor, and share with them).  Many families or individuals were lost in prayer or contemplation, standing in front of the burial sites of their loved ones.

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to join these people in reflecting on past presences and memories.  It seems fitting to gather our thoughts with a glance backward, carrying them with us as we prepare to finish out the year and look toward the future.