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LATIN AMERICA |
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Ecuadorians go to Cemeteries en Masse
QUITO - To honor their
deceased means a lot to thousands of
Ecuadorian people, although it is a good
occasion to sell flowers, food, craftwork
and even water to clean tombs.
The so-called Ecuadorian four worlds
(Sierra, Costa, Amazonía y Galápagos)
celebrate the Day of the Dead with many
different rituals, offerings and religious
worships as varied as corresponds to a
country with 14 indigenous nationalities.
The internal migration has turned country
roads into great vehicle processions for
these four public holidays. That is why
drivers have to be patient to travel in four
hours what they travel in one hour in normal
days.
Many Ecuadorians took these days as
vacations to rest in hotels, which are
saturated according to the local press;
while others are visiting their relatives by
land and air transport, exhausted after many
days.
In the roads to cemeteries there are many
improvised outlets, which line the streets
and avenues to every cemetery.
In many towns there is a custom of swapping
food among people who visit the tombs.
Before eating they pray and remember why
they learned from their dead relatives.
This day, figment of religious syncretism,
is a very special day to indigenous people
such as Salasaca, that is why women wear
their regional costume with red, blue, black
and green color, while men wear their poncho
and wool hats.
Every Ecuador's spot is full of color, taste
and traditions, as varied as that country,
which has various cultural tools such as the
way they honor their deceased.
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