WHAT YOU’LL DO

We meet at 15:00 PM in Macedonio Alcalá 802, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, ring the bell ‘’A’’, between Bicibella and Café Punto Paz.

Join us to visit a host family at Teotitlán del Valle for a true traditional Día de los Muertos experience. On our half day experience, we’ll take a closer look at Día de los Muertos, how it’s celebrated by our host family and their neighbours, and how customs change depending on families and who they’ve lost. 

Teotitlán is a Zapotec town that has kept its traditions for hundreds of years. Here we’ll meet very welcoming, kind, and hard working people who have dedicated generations to the art that is rug making. 

We’ll arrive at our host families home. Upon arrival, we’ll be cleansed of any bad energy by copal (incense); and also learn more about this ritual and how it pertains to Día de los Muertos. After we’ve been cleansed, our hosts will share with us a traditional and exquisite meal. We will enjoy sopa de guías, chiles rellenos, mole, and other traditional ancestral food.

Once we’ve enjoyed our meal, we’ll have an opportunity to see our first altar. Members of the group are encouraged to bring flowers, candles, food enjoyed by your loved ones, and pictures of your loved ones to contribute to the altar. It’s important to remember that leaving an offering at the altar is a moment of grief and introspect. We ask to respect each member’s decisions as to how they want to live this experience. While this occurs, other members of the group will have the chance to look around Josephina’s textile shop and learn about this art of beautiful patterns weaved into their handmade rugs. 

In Teotitlán, it’s customary to visit at least one other family during muertos to pay respect not only to the family but also to the ones they’ve lost. Families who have recently lost a member are prioritized in terms of visiting the altar. We’ll have the opportunity to walk with our hosts to another altar to pay our respects to another family. Depending on the number of visitors from the pueblo, we’ll spend thirty minutes to an hour at this altar getting to know another local family and how their Muertos traditions differ from our host family. 

To wrap up our Muertos expedition, we’ll walk around Teotitlan’s center and walk past the cemetery. During muertos, most cemeteries are adorned with a wide variety of candles, flowers, and other decorative objects. After getting to know the pueblo that is Teotitlan, we’ll walk back to our initial location to take some time to thank our host family, share any thoughts on this tradition, and say goodbye to the family who opened their doors to us.

Día de los Muertos is the most important holiday for many people here in Mexico. Our host family in Teotitlán has been very generous in letting us bring people into their homes during these sacred times. Join us on this Día de los Muertos experience in Teotitlán and to cherish this spiritual experience for the rest of your life.

ACTIVITY ADVISORY

Outdoor activities carry risks, and you may be exposed to dangerous situations as part of this experience. Make sure you can participate safely given your abilities and the conditions (such as location, weather, and equipment).

NOTES:

Want to go Private?
Don’t see your desired date available?
Please contact us! We will do our best to make special arrangements for you!