One A Day – 1062 – Tzurumutaro

by mike · November 6, 2017

Solemn Moment

Atole

Wax Corona

Esteban Talavera

Adela Talavera

Conversations

Over Time

Connections

Happy Moments

Luis Rivera

Into the Distance

Remembering

Maria Salvador

Returning Family

Families, Friends, Remembering, Touching

Rows

Colorful Displays

Diversity

Pool of Light

Corn

Photowalk
Dia de las Muertos
Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, México
November 1, 2017

Michoacan is one of the areas where traditional celebrations of La Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) are still relatively strong. Because of the many representations of the event in the media it is fairly well-known, if not well understood, by tourists and from people outside the region. The movie Coco, which is currently in release in Mexico and will soon be shown in the US, is just the latest example. There is no question the publicity brings tourists in great numbers to all the areas where there are examples of the tradition to be seen and it is equally true that few tourists are aware or well-informed about what they are going to see. This leads to many things that are not good for the region or the experience of the tourists, so hopefully the towns and tours involved will continue to work to improve conditions.

Tzurumutaro is a pueblo outside of Patzcuaro in the State of Michoacan. As Patzcuaro has become better known and popular, Tzurumutaro has worked to become an alternative that could take a substantial flow of visitors. For this year, it was a nice place to visit, but I can’t guess if it will be able to handle the crush of tourists next year. My suggestion is to research, reserve and go early in the evening rather than late when the bulk of tours go through.

This is a tradition of families, friends, and respect. The cemeteries are often rather small, can be crowded and somewhat difficult to get around in. Be prepared to take it slow and watch where you are walking. Some of the paths can be rough and hard to navigate in poor light. And be respectful. As you can see in these photos, the families involved are sincere and want to be able to celebrate their traditions in peace. Give them the space and respect they deserve.

I do have more photos from additional locations from this series. There will be more tomorrow.