Day of the Dead No 2nd 2006-12-04

This is one of the most celebrated holidays in Mexico. Also one of my
favorites.
I believe it is wonderful to honor and remember loved ones who have passed
on at least
once a year.

 This year we had a very large celebration out at Lu’um K ‘aa nab.
We began preparing days in advance. Purchasing all the stuff to make and
decorate the altar. I love to go to the Mayan market in Cancun, mingle with
everyone and
purchase  flowers, candles, incenses and food for our altar.

 We also buy
many of the ingredients that go into the making of traditional tamales.

Yummy. How I love tamales wrapped in banana leaves. We ordered
5 kilos of masa (corn dough) from the local masa man. He gets up around 2
a.m. to grind the corn and make the dough. It has to be fresh. Nothing else
will do.
     
I managed to get all the women up and out to Lu’um Kaa  nab by 6:30 in the
morning.
We had to make over 200 tamales, which takes a long time. We had plans to
eat and celebrate after our procession to the cemetery around 1 p.m.

Oh my goodness, there were 20 Mayan women in our kitchen and every single
one of them had their own special way of making tamales,

 some of the
recipes having been
past down from generation to generation in a family. Sparks flew, tempers
rose as each woman insisted that we make tamales her way.
     
I finally had all the women take 3 deep breathes, and we agreed on several
different recipes . The men were smart and stayed out of our kitchen. They
were too busy making the fire oven in the ground called a PIB in Maya. They
find just the right place and dig a 3 foot deep hole in the ground, and
then go in the jungle, and bring back palm leaves (chit) to cover the top
of the oven. They then make a roaring fire inside the pib. The fire burns
for about 45 minutes until there are red hot coals, and then tamales are
laid in over layers of chit that have been put over the coals
  
We made over 300 tamales and brought them out, and laid them in the PIB,
covering them with banana leaves and letting them cook for about 2 hours.
We then let them cool for  one hour.

Meanwhile we made a procession, carrying our flowers from the altar and
walked over to our local cemetery to lay our flowers on the tombs of the
forgotten soul’s.
By the time we got back in the mid day heat we were thirsty and starving
and hunger for our tamales.

Delicious, outstanding, of out of this world. What a treat as we stuffed
ourselves
Well worth the arguments and work to get them made.

I made a suggestion to our group. Next year we are going to have a tamale
making contest and the woman who makes the best tamale, will win a prize.
I still haven’t quite figured out how we are going to put them in the PIB,
and know which tamales are which, but I have a year to figure it out.
 
So if you get a chance and have some time, come on down next year and
celebrate with us. We would love to have you. It is a unique experience
very few foreigners get to participate here.

Sandra

www.mayaecho.com

Sandra and Dan!!