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Calle Ibarra #81, Patzcuaro, Michoacan, 61600, Mexico
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A crowded market plaza
Patzcuaro
Hotel Posada la Basillica
Although the DOD celebration in Patzcuaro is no doubt much more commercial than in other locations, some friends and I are going there this year. In future years, I'd like to explore DOD in other Mexican towns, but for this year, I'd like to specifically find out how to best appreciate the celebration in Patzcuaro. We have what sounds like a nice place to stay (with reservations made last November!). Our hotel has offered to get us a taxi for the night of November 1st, so that we can go from one cemetery to another. If anyone has been to Patzcuaro recently for DOD, can you tell me if this is a good way to experience things, or should we do that for only a part of the night or not at all? What's your opinion, and what was your experience?
I've been to Patzcuaro once for Dia de los Muertos - and I'd never return. It's shamefully commercial, IMO. However, I did go, just like you want to go. I don't like any of the commercialism/partying many foreigners seem to be looking for. I've witnessed observances in other parts of Mexico more than a half-dozen times, though - but either alone or with just one other person and not part of any tour or grave hopping.
Following are some web addresses that'll take you to more information about Dia de los Muertos, including two or three about the days in Patzcuaro. From what I've experienced, observances begin late on October 31st and continue through November 2nd. It's about more than just November 2nd. Here are the addresses:
http://www.mexonline.com/daydead.htm
http://www.inside-mexico.com/featuredead.htm
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/daydeadindex.html
http://www.dayofthedead.com/
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjsalvad/scmfaq/muertos.html
http://www.inside-mexico.com/noes.htm
Dia de los Muertos is one of the great cultural observances in Mexico, I've no doubt you'll enjoy yourselves and long to see some more traditional/normal observances in the future, away from the crowds.
Certainly a personal taxi would be better than any tour bus, but we had no difficulty hiring a taxi for where ever we wanted to go. Spending a lot of time travelling around through the traffic does not sound particularly appealing to me. Of course, a taxi is useless for getting to the most famous site on the small island Janiztio. The graveyard there is very small and reportedly the number of visitors overwhelming, but I can not say by experience because we chose not to visit in the evening. We did enjoy our afternoon visit the day before. The large numbers of Mexican and foreign visitors (5% by hotel bookings) means that Patzcuaro is full. (You did well to make your reservations early.) This, of course, makes everything seem more commercial. It also means that the number tourist visitors to the grave sites is high compared to any small village away from the traffic. Following the advice of Mexicans we went to Tzintzuntzan. There were food stands in town and folk dancing in the plaza.
The first thing to do is sleep through the afternoon and plan on a late night extending to 4AM. By being rested you can visit at your leasure, watch some dancing, eat and visit the graveyards. In many places, like Tzintzuntzan, the vigil goes to sunrise, but unless you speak Spanish staying through the night would probably be boring. It can get cool in the early morning, a good poncho might be useful. The traditions vary town to town. I remember particularly enjoying the visit to the graveyard at 10 AM on November 1st in Santa Clara Del Cobre.
The first Catrina (a skull made of mud, paper or crystal ) was made by José Guadalupe Posada (a famous illustrator) the figure was called La Calavera de la Catrina (The Skull of the Female Dandy), and was made to satirize the life of Mexico´s upper classes females. Now the figure is associated with the festivity.
The word "Pátzcuaro" means "foundation place" in Purhépecha dialect, it was also called "Petatzecua", wich in turn means "stone or origin of man", characterized bye "Cúes" or temples.
Arriving at Pátzcuaro is like arriving at an ideal place for discovering the roots of the past, full of traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation.
Patzcuaro is in the heart of the Purépecha homeland. Beside it's Lake Pátzcuaro, whose shores border dozens of Infian villages. In these villages and in town, we frequently hear the soft sounds of the Purépechan language in the background s they take inthe sights. Although distinct regional costumes are seldom seen today, Indian women still braid their hair with ribbons and wear the blue "rebozo" that serve them in so many ways.
It's "the dance of the little old men" an ancient tradition of the Purepecha. There are hundreds of regional variations of this dance. It's usually performed by the youth, who imitate older people with very humorous movements and masks, dancin heavy, fairly difficult footwork while bending over, using cane. As the dance is getting to the end, the dancers start moving rapidly, with great footsteps, coughing, shaking, and representations of having hearts attaks.
The meaning of this dance is really just a tribute to the elders and to show how much they are respected. It looks very comical and some might think that it's offensive towards old people, but that's part of the joke, and it's not meant to mean. I always enjoy seeing this dance being performed because it's actually quite funny to watch.
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Q: Day of the Dead in Patzcuaro, Mexico "Although the DOD celebration in Patzcuaro is no doubt much more commercial than in other locations, some friends and I are going..."
A: "I've been to Patzcuaro once for Dia de los Muertos - and I'd never return. It's shamefully commercial, IMO. However, I did go, just like you want to go. I don't like..."
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