Riviera Maya Events

Life, death, the universe and everything about our existence is a matter of perspective when it comes to our beliefs. Our perspectives are shaped by who and how we have been raised, blended with the culture and landscape that colors our formative years. Travel changes and expands this perspective.  We discover new answers to questions we thought were already answered, we question unwritten rules that we assumed to already be socially established.

As a new blogger for the BuyPlaya family, this year I was invited by Alltournative to experience for the first time, Hanal Pixan, a Mayan celebration of the Day of the Dead with its own cultural perspective.

On October 31st, I boarded the Alltournative bus along with hundreds of curious tourists, ready to be part of a unique and spiritual experience in Tres Reyes: A Mayan community located approximately 140 km South of Playa del Carmen. The experienced tour guides welcomed us to the Mayan Village of Tres Reyes, where the local families had set up altars.  We were invited to participate in the decoration of the altars and in exploring the symbolism of this wonderful and magical Mayan and Mexican tradition.

Flowers, candles and plants used to dress the altars

Carla Toledo and daughter from Soy Playense, helping a family set up their altar.

Altar made by Banyan Tree Mayakoba

Hanal Pixan is the name given to the Day of the Dead celebrations of the Mayan community in the Yucatan Peninsula. The term literally translates as "food for the souls". Many traditions and practices of Hanal Pixan are similar to the Day of the Dead celebrations that vary slightly over all of Mexico. This Mayan holiday is a two day long celebration, starting on October 31st, when the souls of the deceased children are remembered and prayed for...

...and ending on November 1st; the day when the souls of the deceased adults are also remembered and prayed for. Food, for both deceased children and adults, are displayed on alters, as well as toys for the children and/or specific items to which the deceased were attached, such as: beer, cigarettes, candy, favorite foods etc... A photo of the deceased is often placed on the altar alongside candles, a glass of water and marigold flowers; all items meant to attract the soul of the ancestors.  The idea is to bring the souls of loved ones that have crossed over, closer to visit with their families on those specific days. These are days of celebration, remembering, laughing and dancing: days to honor the dead and commune with relatives that have passed.

After spending time with the families, the Alltournative guides brought us to the Tres Reyes cemetery.  The cemetery is filled with vibrant colors each representing man, woman, or child as a tribute to each of the dearly departed. It was a very pensive and solemn moment for me; I was honored to be invited to enter in such a sacred place.

The Maya do not believe specifically in heaven or hell, rather, their belief system in based on the idea of a journey of the soul and of their gods to the human realm.  The traditional belief system is based on an entire cosmology that encompasses seven deities that govern the celestial sphere and thirteen deities that govern the realm of the underworld.  This cosmology is represented by the Ceiba tree.  It is believed that these deities travel freely amongst the branches, through the thick trunk of the tree located on our human plane of existence, and through the deep roots that burrow into the underworld. 

The next part of our exploration of Hanal Pixal led us to the impressive Cenote de la Vida where hundreds of candles were lit and handed to each person arriving at the ceremony. While carefully treading the rocky path down towards the cenote I felt a peaceful and spiritual vibe enter me.  The thick smell of Copal incense hung in the air adding an air of mystery and touching something familiar yet forgotten within my heart.  Especially to commemorate this Hanal Pixan, Alltournative had gathered the local Shaman to preside over the ceremony to celebrate, welcome and bless the deceased on their visit to our plane of existence. Prayers were made by the Shamans' in the traditional Maya language; the language of their gods.

This extraordinary experience of Hanal Pixan, allows us to enter the mysterious (and unknown to most of us) world of the dead through an authentic Mayan community.   The professional guides of Alltournative perfectly introduced, explained and translated for us this tradition particular to the Mayan population of the Yucatan Peninsula. The tour ended with a delicious four course meal of traditional Mayan cuisine near the cenote.  The dinner was the perfect moment to recap our experience, reflect and break bread with the deceased that crossed the veil between life and death to share a meal with us on this solemn and celebrated eve.

Alltournative is a reputable tour company in the Riviera Maya, visit their website to find out more about their many outstanding year-round cultural and adventure activities .

Andrea Ruiz Perron was born and raised in Montreal by a Mexican mother and a French Canadian father.  She studied cinema and photography in Argentina and Montreal, and has now been living in Playa del Carmen for a total of 6 years. Both her Mexican and Canadian roots are an important influence on her identity and how she perceives the world through her photography and writing as the content creator for BuyPlaya Real Estate Advisors www.buyplaya.com

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