Araw ng Mga Patay (Day of the Dead)

The year 2020 is one that will truly go down in history as the year when the world practically shutdown. Many activities, specially those that involve a gathering of people, were actually prohibited including church services and other religious activities such as the age-old tradition of families visiting and praying for the dead loved-ones in cemeteries. An "unintended victim" of this are the dead themselves, or rather the souls of the dead (if you believe in the soul).

In a story told to me by my mother, the Day of the Dead is also a very special day in the spirit world and for the dead loved-ones themselves. It is said that the soul of those who passed away await the arrivial and visit of their living kins at the cemetery's gate. To them it is also a joyous day and a time for celebration. The cemetery is considered hallowed ground and the cemetery gates set the limit as to where the souls can stay and wait. They are supposedly prohibited from going out to the realm of the mortals beyond those hallowed grounds that is why they can only stay and wait at the gates. Those of the living who are said to be able to commmunicate, connect and even see the dead tell of the mournful and sad faces of the dead when no one of their living kin visits them on that day.

In my recollection, the routine for the event includes going to the cemetery a day before the feast when living relatives of the beloved dead prepare the grave by cleaning them of outgrowth of weeds and such, and to wash the tombstone. This may include re-painting the tombstone with a white paint made out of a combination of water and a chemical called "carburo," the Spanish name for calcium carbide (actually a regulated chemical which is also used to accelerate the ripening of fruits). Some of the relatives who did the cleaning sometimes actually stay overnight to await for the activities in the morning. NOTE: Nowadays, people (non-related to the dead) are paid to do this job. The following day, usually in the late afternoon, other relatives of the dead start arriving, each one bringing homemade food-to-share. Some bring the flowers. Others bring the candles. By evening or when it gets dark, the adults among the group (usually the older ones) lead the praying. Such prayers may include a Novena, or the Rosary and some other prayers supposedly for the dead to help them in their transition from Purgatory to Heaven. After the prayers, food is usually served and the oldies update each other about themselves. In the past decade though, people have engaged in activities which I personally deem disrespectful to the dead loved-ones, e.g. play loud music, drink alcohol and such. And it has become so annoying and irritating and sometimes a cause for nasty brawls, that authorities have actually sought to confiscate liquor and weapons at the entrance of the cemetery. 

During my days as a youngster, this was usually a peaceful and solemn gathering. It is also a time to meet other relatives whom we have not seen for a long time or just meeting them for the very first time. It is also a time for play among cousins. My particular favorite activity was roaming the entire cemetery and collecting melted wax from the candles and making a ball out of them. For the older youth, particularly the teens, it was also a time to meet with and socialize with other boys and girls.

Under this Covid-19 lockdown regime, that kind of activity has all but disappeared. There is an official government issued order that cemeteries should be closed to the public on the Day of the Dead. I will miss this opportunity to celebrate with the dead this year but I hope we can do it once again next year. I hope my dead loved-ones will understand why I am unable to meet them this year. The alternative, of course, is to visit the cemetery before or after the government ban. But that will definitely be not under a festive atmosphere and I wonder if the souls of my departed loved-ones will appreciate it as much as they would during the feast day itself.

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* Photo of my relatives taken during a visit to the grave of my father and mother. The prayers were led by my sister, the eldest in the group. Most of the other people in the photo are my young nephews. I hope they imbibe the meaning and significance of the Day of the Dead, as I have, so that the tradition will live on.