Announcing! This week, our Ecoventura offices will be closed from Wednesday, November 2nd through Sunday, November 6th in observance of the Day of the Dead (or Día de Muertos in Spanish).
Photo credit via Wikipedia
What is the Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead is a holiday that originated in Mexico, but is celebrated throughout Latin America, internationally in many other cultures, and is very popular here in Ecuador. This year, in an effort to promote travel, the Government of Ecuador has extended the holiday to a multi-day event.
November 2nd is All Soul’s Day, when friends and family gather to pray for (and remember) loved ones who have passed, and to help support their spiritual journey. In 2008, the Day of the Dead tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
How is it celebrated in Ecuador?
During this holiday, Families gather in graveyards and decorate the tombs of loved ones with flowers, wreaths, photographs, toys, and other grave site trinkets.
Photo credit via Ever in Transit
The people of Ecuador also celebrate the Day of the Dead by drinking “Colada Morada” (a thick, sweet purple corn drink cooked with mashed berries and spices) and feast on a doll-shaped sweet bread, “Guagas de Pan”, which is reminiscent of a baby swaddled in a blanket. Consuming this sweet beverage and food is meant to give sustenance to ancestors for their afterlife travels.
Photo Credit via Laylita.com
Join the celebrations
If you are visiting Ecuador during the Day of the Dead (or if you want to participate from home), we invite you to join in the celebration and take the time to remember family and friends you’ve lost. Our staff at Ecoventura are taking holidays of their own, from a cruise onboard the ORIGIN to exploring the Andes mountains and visiting colleges in the United States.
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