Day of the Dead: When Two Worlds Meet in Oaxaca

by Shawn D. Haley, Curt Fukuda

The Day of the Dead is the most important annual celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico. Skillfully combining textual information and photographic imagery, this book begins with a discussion of the people of Oaxaca, their way of life, and their way of looking at the world. It then takes the reader through the celebration from the preparations that can begin months in advance through to the private gatherings in homes and finally to the cemetery where the villagers celebrate together ― both the living and the dead. The voices in the book are of those people who have participated in the Day of the Dead for as long as they can remember. There are no ghosts here. Only the souls of loved ones who have gone to the Village of the Dead and who are allowed to return once a year to be with their family. Very readable and beautifully illustrated, this book provides an extensive discussion of the people of Oaxaca, their way of life and their beliefs, which make the Day of the Dead logical and easily comprehensible.

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

Reviews

[Andrew Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was not what I was hoping for, but it was still a very good read. I was interested in learning about the history of the festival, explanation of the symbolism, effects of Western influences, etc. This was more of an anthropological study (or, more specifically, ethnography, as I learned from another review) of how Oaxaca celebrates the Day of the Dead. What I was interested in was mostly crammed into the final chapter. Regardless, there is still a lot of excellent information throughout this book. It seems to have been published around the time when Western modernization and commercialism were really taking a toll on this ancient tradition. I would be very interested in reading a follow-up from the author. My only real complaint is that the pictures were not in color.

[Lexidreams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, easy to read ethnography on a beautiful holiday. Gives attention to gender relations. The ending paragraphs seem to contradict each other (poor editing?) and are a bit depressing. To think most of the younger generation does not to value the holiday anymore...