21st Century Life, Travel

Day of the Dead – Three Cemeteries

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Oaxaca include elaborate attention by family and friends to the grave sites of the departed. And while the traditions in each cemetery are similar and have the same purpose, the customs in each cemetery may differ from community to community. In this album three cemeteries from the state of Oaxaca are represented: the main cemetery in the city of Oaxaca, the cemetery in the small rural community of San Pedro del Rincón, and the cemetery in the town of San Antonino. These photos illustrate a few of the different customs found among the three.

Please take the time to enlarge the photos in the gallery below so that the descriptions of each can be viewed.

Night scene with candles illuminating a wall of tombs at the main cemetery in the city of Oaxaca.

Panteón General, Oaxaca, Oax.

Night scene of monuments decorated with bouquets of marigolds and lillies in the main cemetery in the city of Oaxaca.

Panteón General, Oaxaca, Oax.

Night scene of family at a grave site in the main cemetery of the city of Oaxaca.

Panteón General, Oaxaca, Oax.

The cemetery at San Pedro del Rincón - monuments decorated with marigolds and red flowers.

Panteón, San Pedro del Rincón, Oax.

Cemetery at San Pedro del Rincón, Oaxaca covered in bouquets of marigolds and red flowers.

Panteón, San Pedro del Rincón, Oax.

Red flowers and marigolds covering a grave site at San Pedro del Rincón cemetery.

Panteón, San Pedro del Rincón, Oax.

Cemetery view at San Pedro del Rincón with monuments covered in flowers.

Panteón, San Pedro del Rincón, Oax.

A panoramic view of the cemetery at San Antonín.

Panteón, San Antonino, Oax.

Flowers decorate the sand structure on this view of a grave site at San Antonín

Panteón, San Antonino, Oax.

Marigolds and other flowers decorate a grave site at San Antonín.

Panteón, San Antonino, Oax.

5 thoughts on “Day of the Dead – Three Cemeteries”

David Gillespie says:

November 9, 2013 at 7:10 am

Magnificent, Charles. Posting on FB, with thanks to you.

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1. Charles Cottle says:
  
  November 9, 2013 at 8:46 am
  
  Thanks David.
  
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Michael Flanagan says:

November 10, 2013 at 9:23 pm

Lovely photographs, as usual for you. I wish I’d been there to see it in person.

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1. Charles Cottle says:
  
  November 10, 2013 at 9:45 pm
  
  Thanks Mike. It happens every year. 🙂
  
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enmanscamera says:

November 11, 2013 at 2:07 am

excellent series.

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