Day of the Dead Festivities Honor Mexico’s Earthquake Victims and Rescuers The Herald
go to original October 29, 2017

Tens of thousands of Mexicans line the capital's Reforma boulevard for the Day of the Dead parade, in a country still mourning nearly 500 people killed in earthquakes last month. (Times of Oman)

Update: Mexico Celebrates Day of the Dead in Year of Earthquakes, Violence (Agence France-Presse)

A raised fist made of helmets, pick axes and broken rubble rolled ahead of hundreds of walking skeletons, costumed dancers and flowery floats in Mexico City’s Day of the Dead parade, which this year honored the 228 people killed by an earthquake.

Mexico City’s central Zocalo plaza was filled by the paper mache skeletal Catrina figures and candle-covered shrines where people were invited to place photographs of those killed in two recent earthquakes, which together left more than 400 dead across the country.

A raised fist was the signal the rescuers gave for silence to hear if anyone was trapped under the rubble left by the most recent quake.

It “has become a national and international symbol,” parade coordinator Julio Blasina said.

“We had an obligation to pay tribute to the fallen, while transmitting the message that the city is still standing,” Mr Blasina said.

This year’s parade featured a mile of floats honoring the celebration, which is an amalgam of pre-Hispanic and other traditions. White, orange, purple and black paper cut-outs covered part of the Zocalo and beneath them were paper mache skeletons with rescue vests and helmets, symbolizing volunteers from the regions affected by the earthquakes, including Oaxaca, Chiapas, Morelos, Puebla and Guerrero.

Other skeletons represented victims.

Read the rest at The Herald

Related: Paul McCartney Lifts Spirits in Quake-Hit Mexico (Agence France-Presse)

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