Two days. Well, two nights. Two totally different experiences. One culturally iconic, one a hybrid adaptation from Mexico’s northern neighbor (the US). Both a bit overwhelming.
As I spoke about earlier, Cabo San Lucas is more a tourist hub than a “real” city. (Click here to read about Cabo.) But it does take people to make the tourism industry run, and those people do, in fact, live here. So there are locals – about 200,000 of them – and they have lives. And from October 31 through November 2, those lives revolve around two back to back holiday celebrations, first for Halloween and then for Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
Halloween isn’t a holiday that has been historically celebrated in Mexico, and to be totally honest, I’m not sure if it is actually a popular part of today’s culture. But here in Cabo, where the majority of people out and about in the central portion of the city are tourists – mainly from the US – it has become a vibrant and intrinsic part of living here. Streets around the downtown area are closed to traffic, and children (and adults) in costume head out to celebrate.
Why here? The answer is obvious when I sit down to dinner at Alexander’s, a restaurant along the marina. The two hour meal is a nonstop parade of locals in costume coming by swanky restaurants like this, collecting candy from tourists who have procured it for the occasion.
Some bring US brand candy, and those are especially popular, but others like me purchase candy locally. (Cabo has both a Costco and a Walmart in addition to local brand mega-stores.) My small group of four goes through about 400 pieces of candy before we even order dinner. Every table, especially those right along the “parade route” like us, likewise goes through their stash quickly.
The restaurant supplies some additional candy as the evening progresses, and as tables turn, there is more to be given out. Other tables purchase entire towers of cotton candy from local sellers to give out. While it is a bit overwhelming from a sensory standpoint, and having crowds of children around the tables makes for a bit of claustrophobia, it is a lovely and wholesome evening, a way for tourists to give back to the community that supports them.
While Halloween is an adopted holiday made popular by American media – and because kids everywhere love candy – Dia de los Muertos is truly a part of the fabric of Mexican culture, so much so that it has been recognized as such by UNESCO. Its origins are debated, with some anthropologists claiming it dates back to Mesoamerican culture before European contact and some believing it is rooted in European traditions around danse macabre. In reality, both may be true, since both of those things have a celebration of death (whether as part of the life cycle or as a divine offering) and a fascination with the human skeleton. But regardless of origin, the modern observances are uniquely Mexican.
Decorations are everywhere during the weeks leading up to November 1, when the Day of the Dead is celebrated. Some of these are colorful – almost Halloween-esque – streamers of skeleton cutouts. Others are flowers that look like marigolds but I am told are not.
Skeletons are also all over, in a sort of Nightmare Before Christmas vibe.
But the most authentic and most iconic of observances is the offrenda, an altar dedicated to a loved one who has passed away. These are decorated with memories of the person (name, dates, photos, and more) and with offerings of food, alcohol, incense, and pretty much anything you can think of. Some are small; others are several feet tall. Some exist as one-offs in a restaurant or shop; others are grouped in a public place.
For a more local experience of Dia de los Muertos in Cabo San Lucas, make a bee-line for Parque Amelia Wilkes Cesena, a square a few blocks off the tourist-centered area. (If you have trouble finding it, search for the restaurant Mi Casa, which is just across the street. It is awesome, by the way.) Here in the square, hundreds – probably more but my sense of numbers is not to be trusted – of locals gather to eat traditional foods, watch local performances that seem to be mostly schoolchildren, and honor the dozen or more huge offrendas spread around the square’s exterior.
So what are those traditional foods? Well, to start, tamales are an indelible part of Dia de los Muertos. (Mi Casa has a great one, done in a banana leaf.)
But the more iconic food is pan de muerto, a sweet bread flavored with a bit of orange. Every bakery in Mexico will have them this time of year, and you can find them plain or filled with cream, custard, or chocolate mousse. Try them all.
Beyond that, just enjoy the atmosphere. Being in a place that truly immerses in a holiday is incredible, and Dia de los Muertos is absolutely everywhere, even in a tourist-centric place like Cabo. You can’t miss it, even if you tried.
While Halloween and Dia de los Muertos can be overwhelming here in Cabo San Lucas, I can absolutely appreciate this aspect of culture, especially in a place not known for having much of it. If you get a chance to visit during this time of year, consider immersing yourself. Just bring plenty of candy!
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