Todos Santos

Another important part of this weekend just gone was Todos Santos (All Saints day), which here in Bolivia is the 1st November and is followed by El Día de los Dinfuntos (Day of the Dead) on the 2nd which is a really important holiday day for Bolivians to honour deceased family members.

On the 1st families apparently make tables for their deceased loved ones, laden with tasty food and drink they enjoyed in life, including 'tantawawas' that are sweet breads in the form of a person.  On the previous Thursday Gary, Kory and I had been impressed by the busy crowds in the cancha market, buying their sweet supplies.  Here's a great music video to give you a flavour of the day, made by AVE  with children and teenagers who work in the cemetery (AVE or Audiovisuales Educativos are a group who work with children and teenagers who work here in Cochabamaba, and with whom I have just started collaborating this week thanks to Raymundo introducing us):

On the 2nd families take these offerings to the cemetery and spend the day there, picnicking and singing. Camilla, Gary, Florrie and I went to the cemetery too (this is not considered voyeuristic it seems, cause we were encouraged to go by one of the Bolivia Spanish teachers here at SB).  Like in Mexico, these Day of the Dead festivals are happy celebrations of the dead, and it was really moving to hear young lads playing guitars and singing songs at the tombs of dead relatives.

One of the loveliest things about a day like this, for us too, even as foreigners on this soil, is that it brings up conversations and warm memories about loved ones we've lost.  Thinking especially about all of our family's losses over these last years it makes a welcome space to talk and it definitely made me think I'd like to get Noel to bring his guitar along the next time we visit our folk in the cemetery! (what do you reckon Noely?!)

Big love to all of you back home

:-)

[and Dad would be chuffed about how we celebrated the end of this day -  we headed out for Millie's despedida to the the Urban Fest after party and danced until the sunrise for the third night in a row! There was fire spinning, our amazing DJ mates from [metamorphosis] - Reflector Tropical and San Pedro Musik with Gontech, body suspension, VJ projections, all in a huge warehouse with the feel of a cleaner version of a London squat party!

Happy journeying Millie! :-)