EMPIRES children: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



219 



ALL SAINTS' AND ALL SOULS' DAYS 

 (NOVEMBER 1-2) 



Tlie period from noon of October 31 to noon 

 of November 2 is one of the most interesting of 

 fiesta of the year were it not for the fact that 

 the entire ceremonial year. November 1 is the 

 dia de todos sarttos, All Saints' Day, dedicated 

 to the angelitos, the little angels, the children 

 who have died during the year. November 2 is 

 the dia de las dnimas. All Souls' Day, also called 

 dia de los fteles difuntos, and dia de los 

 muertos, dedicated to the souls of the adult 

 dead. Offerings of food are made on both 

 days, in slightly different manners, and prepa- 

 rations begin the preceding afternoon. At dawn 

 on October 23, 9 days before the day of the an- 

 gelitos, two rockets are heard, followed by two 

 more at noon, and two more at sunset. On Oc- 

 tober 24 the operation is repeated, this time with 

 three rockets, and on the succeeding days with 

 four until October 31. In each home the family 

 altar is decorated with petals of the simplasuche 

 flower,'' the pre-Columbian "flower of the dead," 

 the marigold, and during the 2 days families 

 without greater obligations recite Pater Nosters 

 and Ave Marias. Fiestas for the deceased ange- 

 litos are held the night of October 31. 



Antonia Corona, a beautiful Tarascan girl of 

 14, was killed early in June, a victim of light- 

 ning. Her fiesta will serve to illustrate those 

 held in all parts of Tzintzuntzan: 



The baptismal godparents are expected to offer the 

 fiesta; however, those of Antonia plead poverty and 

 beg off, whereupon Dona Epitacia, the mother of the 

 girl, begins to weep because her daughter will not 

 be properly honored. At this point her son-in-law, 

 Cirilo, married to a sister of the deceased girl, rises 

 to the occasion, and volunteers to organize the festiv- 

 ities. Five musicians from Santa Fe are hired, to 

 arrive at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Meanwhile a 

 large altar is prepared in the home of Dona Epitacia, 

 on which is placed a little wax doll clothed in white 

 garments. Surrounding it are candles, marigolds, and 

 purple orchids known as the flor de dnima. Young 

 girl friends of the deceased bring ears of corn which 

 they place on the altar, and then begin to help Dona 

 Epitacia with the preparation of the pozole to feed 

 to all visitors. 



Cirilo, in his own home, prepares the arco, a tiny 

 table with reed arches decorated with marigolds and 



12 From Aztec cempoalxochitl. Simplasuche apparently is 

 a local corruption of the word. More commonly in Mexico 



it is called cempasuchil. 



orchids, and covered with oranges, bananas, chayotes, 

 and special "bread of the dead," unleavened loaves 

 made in the form of human figures, with eyes of 

 currants, and tiny painted sugar angels. Tamales and 

 tortillas are prejjared by his wife to feed the musi- 

 cians, who must come first to his home, and brandy 

 in abundance is on hand. Anxiety is great when the 

 musicians do not arrive at the appointed hour, and 

 the tension increases until 6 o'clock in the evening, 

 when they stroll in, completely unrepentant for their 

 breach of contract. Cirilo's relief is so great that he 

 takes no punitive measures, and dines and wines 

 them according to custom. Meanwhile all of the 

 Coronas come, as well as a number of other friends, 

 perhaps 50 in all. About 8 o'clock a procession is 

 formed to go to the home of the deceased girl. The 

 arco is carried, Cirilo shoots rockets, and children 

 carry burning ocote splinters to light the way. Cirilo 

 and his wife, acting the part of godparents, dance 

 in front of the arco as it progresses, and continue 

 doing so for a few minutes after entering the house. 



Then all enter the room containing the altar and 

 kneel to pray, men on the left and women on the 

 right, in the positions taken during Mass at church. 

 Candido Picho is rezandero, and for an hour and a 

 half he leads the prayers, terminating with alabanzas 

 cantadas, chanted prayers. Then the musicians begin, 

 playing gay Tarascan tunes — of which there is a 

 tremendous variety — as well as jarabes and other 

 better-known Mexican numbers. In the same room a 

 large table is set at which the male relatives are 

 seated. Cirilo, acting as godfather, takes a bottle of 

 brandy, kisses it, and passes it to his own matrimonial 

 godfather who is seated at his right, and then to his 

 father-in-law, father of the dead girl, on his left. In 

 turn, each man kisses the bottle, after which it returns 

 to Cirilo who repeats with a pack of cigarettes, pas- 

 sing it in turn to all diners. Drinking is done by turn 

 from the same "shot" glass, and in the order of kiss- 

 ing. Cirilo ceremoniously presents each glass, the 

 recipient accepts, asks permission first of Cirilo and 

 then of the others to drink with the stock phrase 

 "con sii permiso," empties the glass, sprinkles the last 

 few drops on the ground, and returns the cup to the 

 donor. Then great plates of pozole are served, and 

 when the men are taken care of, the women seat them- 

 selves on the ground at the far side of the room. 

 More pozole is offered to the now content men, who 

 refuse with thanks, after which the plates are given 

 to the women. When all have eaten the table is clear- 

 ed away and dancing, in ball-room fashion with both 

 sexes participating, begins. Drinking and dancing 

 continue all during the night until 8 o'clock in the 

 morning, at which time the musicians, deciding that 

 their contract has been fulfilled, leave on foot for 

 Santa Fe, 12 km. away. 



About 11 o'clock Doiia Epitacia leaves for the cem- 

 etery, accompanied by her daughters and several 

 children who carry the arco, on which has been placed 

 the wax doll which graced the altar. Some of the girls 

 carry baskets and wooden trays with cooked chayotes, 

 squash, fruits, and pan de los muertos, the bread of 



