Fernando Castro Pacheco, The Offering – Hanal Pixán / La Ofrenda - Hanal Pixán, 1975, oil on canvas.Courtesy of Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán

HANAL PIXÁN: FOOD FOR THE SOULS

EDUCATOR RESOURCE PACKET

National Museum Of Mexican Art, 2012

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EXHIBITION INTRODUCTION

HANAL PlX Á N : FOOD FOR THE SOULS

In Mexican culture, like in so many other cultures, people trace their reverence and devotion toward death and the deceased back to ancient days. When the Spanish came to Mexico, they brought their own cultural recognition of lost ancestors. These traditions blended with indigenous Mesoamerican cultures to form the present-day rituals we honor here with the Day of the Dead. From region to region, and town to town, these traditions vary as they adapt to local customs and surroundings.

The name for this celebration in the Yucatan Peninsula is Hanal Pixán [han·al pi·shan], a Mayan term that means "food for the souls." Many of the unique characteristics from this part of the Mayan region can be found on altars created with traditional food and drink such as: mucbil pollo (a large tamale also know as pib), xeek (chopped fruits) or Xtabentun liquor. In the ancient Mayan cosmology, the sacred ceiba tree symbolized the sky, earth, and the underworld. The souls on their way to paradise were believed to take respite in its shade.

Mexicans in the U.S. also carry on the tradition of remembering and honoring their ancestors. They adapt traditions from Mexico and embellish them in unique ways to express their family values. This is how they make an effort to reclaim their cultural traditions and also make them new and relevant here. The variety of offerings on family and community altars in galleries and museums demonstrate the bicultural experience of Mexican-Americans living on this side of the border. They maintain the Mesoamerican concept of duality - life and death, light and dark, positive and negative - in an attempt to remember their roots, even as they live a bicultural lifestyle.

This exhibition is dedicated to Francisco G. Mendoza, artist, educator and very close friend of the Museum. In a collective effort, community artists, friends and family members created an ofrenda and works of art in his memory. Mr. Mendoza has left us a lasting legacy, not only in the many murals he created in Pilsen, but in the hearts and minds of thousands of his students and community members. Hasta siempre Panchito!

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Several Names for Death

Below are some colloquialisms, or local names, for Death in Mexico:

La muerte - Death

La bien amada - the Beloved

La Blanca - the White One

La calva - The Bald One

La catrina - the Fancy Lady

La cruel - The Cruel One

La cuatacha - the Girlfriend

La dama del velo - the Lady of the Veil

La dama de la guadaña - the Lady of the Scythe

La dientuda - the Toothy One

La flaca - the Skinny One

La igualadora - the Great Equalizer

La llorona - the Weeping One

La novia fiel - the Faithful Bride

La triste - the Sad One

La seria - the Serious One

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Day of the Dead in the Yucatán:Hanal Pixán

(“food for the souls”)

In 2003, as a means of identifying, recognizing, and protecting the heritage that reflects thousands of indigenous groups, U.N.E.S.C.O. declared the ancient celebrations dedicated to the dead in Mexico an oral and immaterial cultural heritage of humanity. More than 41 indigenous groups hold celebrations to the dead throughout the country.

Just like many other Mesoamerican groups, the Mayans displayed a deep interest in death, manifesting this concept in different aspects of their culture. One such aspect of death became a part of a cyclical understanding. It was represented by a space; that space was a kind of a spinal column belonging to an enormous ceiba tree in whose branches rest the 13 layers of the heavens; in its trunk, the Yóok’ ol kaab (space where life is brought forth) and in its roots lie the 9 levels of the Underworld. In the center of its trunk flows an abundant amount of milk for the sustenance of the souls during their transit towards their eventual place of rest.

The Day of the Dead, known as Hanal Pixán (translated as “food for the souls”) in Yucatan, is not a simple folkloric celebration. It is, instead, a space in our annual cycle that allows us to assimilate and reproduce our cosmology and our love for our deceased loved ones. Likewise, we believe that they will continue to help us from beyond. It is a celebration that has been enriched and transformed over time, but that thanks to its proliferation and the character of the Yucatan people, it has remained, among the most important and popular celebrations with ancient Mesoamerican roots. A Hanal Pixán altar is traditionally built inside the house, as contemporary Mayans have firm convictions that the souls of the departed visit their homes during the celebrations.

The first day of the celebration corresponds to the October 31st, the name of this day is U k’iinil mejen pixano’ob or Day of the Departed Children. A table created with local woods, without the use of any metallic elements in its construction, is placed in the interiors of homes. The table is decorated with a white tablecloth decorated with lively colors representing animals or flowers. In the center of the table, a green cross is placed symbolizing the Mayan tree of life (the ceiba), a symbol to which additional elements have been added to as a product of Christian influences.

At dawn, bowls filled with whipped chocolate, sweet bread, new atole, and water are placed on the table. At lunchtime, children’s favorite dishes are also placed: puchero, escabeche, relleno blanco, turkey. Regional fruits are also offered: mandarins, oranges, jícamas, bananas, xeek; sweets are also added: ciricote, papaya, yucca, squash (all in sweet syrup), pumpkin seed palanqueta, candied coconut, peanut, etc. A picture of the deceased child is often placed along with his or her belongings: toys, clothes, whistles. The table is decorated with multicolored flowers decorated with aromatic herbs (basil, rue herb, etc.), which are

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placed at the front of the offering along with brightly colored candles. Censers are lit with carbon incense and, in some cases, rosemary and lavender are also added.

The celebration for the deceased adults, U k’iinil nukuch pixano’ob, takes place on November 1st. Similar offerings are presented with some differences. The tablecloth tends to have more somber coloring: black, brown, gray or white. The candles that illuminate the offering are presented in somber colors as well (generally white or black). Regarding the foods presented as offerings, dishes with strong flavors are generally presented: chirmole, relleno negro, relleno blanco, stuffed cheese or any food that was preferred by the deceased. If the person smoked or drank, the table must include cigarettes, beer or whatever type of drink the deceased enjoyed when they were alive. The belongings of the deceased are presented at the offering: clothes, tools, recreational objects, personal items, etc., which are displayed because it is believed that when the souls visit, they will proceed to use them to do the work or activities they did in their past life.

The last day of the celebration is called U k’iinil taakal kimeno’ob and is celebrated on November 2nd. It is not strange to observe in some communities that a special mass is held in the local Catholic church or even in the town cemetery. When the celebrations are finished, families tend the tombs of the deceased. They clean them, place flowers on them and place lit candles. This is since, according to the perspective of the Catholic Church, this day symbolizes a “farewell to the souls”. This is only observed in urban zones because in rural areas, the souls of the departed are considered to stay in the world until the last day of November. For the day when families say farewell to the souls (depending on the region, this may be in early or late November), dry dishes are usually prepared such as the mukbil pollo or piib and the tamales. However, in many areas it has already become tradition to have them prepared as early as the beginnings of the holiday. The piib is a large tamal made with corn dough, filled with a kind of sauce (k’ol) seasoned with achiote and mixed with pieces of chicken and sometimes pork wrapped in banana leaves; this is all cooked in an oven that is built in a hole in the ground and is heated with a wood fire.

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Hanal Pixán Altar Elements

Candles - Solemn colors (white or black) are preferred when the altar is for an adult, because these will light the way and guide the deceased to their offering.

Limestone and rocks - A path made of scattered limestone is made in a straight line in front of the altar and is delineated with rocks to help guide the soul of the deceased to his or her altar.

Flowers - The altar is decorated with wild flowers in yellow, red, orange and purple colors. Some of the most utilized flowers are x pujuc (Tajetes erecta), xtés o abanico (Celosía argentea), amor seco (Gomphrena globosa) and virgineas (Zinia spp.). These are decorated with rue leaves (Ruta chalapensis), basil (Ocimum micranthum) and limonaria (Murraya paniculata).

Censer - The censer helps with its light and aroma to help make the essence of the food more pleasant for the visiting souls.

Salt and Water - Salt and water can symbolize the purification of the souls or the origin of life, it can also be used to protect the souls from bad winds, these are placed in a lek (gourd bowl), a small plate or a clay container. These serve to help guide the souls once they depart to the Afterlife so they will not get trapped in this world.

Green cross - A wood cross that is painted green is placed on the altar. It represents the Yaxché (the ceiba tree, that according to Mayan cosmology symbolizes the universe and its division into thirteen levels).

Jícaras (gourd bowls) - These are the common natural containers elaborated from the jícaro gourd (Crescentia cujete).

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Yaxché, the Maya Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is a common symbol in many cultures. For the Maya, as for others, it represents

the axis mundi, the stable world center. It constitutes a symbolic vertical line--like the line of balance on a

spinning top--that unites the three realms of underworld, earth, and heavens. 

    For the Maya, the Tree of Life, called Yaxché, is traditionally a Ceiba tree. This is a tall tree with large

buttressed roots, a remarkably straight trunk, and a high horizontal crown. The roots are said to shelter bats,

symbolic of the underworld. The trunk teems with insect life, and attracts the animals and birds that feed on

them. The crown spreads wide over the jungle canopy, often with four branches that would suggest the four

cardinal directions that are so significant to the Maya. The eagles that roost there represent the celestial

realm. 

    The axis mundi is the navel of the world. A Yaxché could be found at the center of most pre-Columbian

Mesoamerican villages. The Tree of Life is a natural analog to the constructed Mayan temple, which was also a

vertical structure representing the passage from subterranean to heavenly realms. 

    For the Maya, the cross was viewed as an iconic representation of the Yaxché, so that in the symbol of the

Christian cross and traditional motifs are confounded. This may account in part for the power of the Talking

Cross that summoned the Maya of the Yucatan to rebellion during the War of the Castes. Ceiba flowers served

as the pattern for earflares worn by Classic Maya kings; in modern Mayan ceremonies, the same blossoms are

used to decorate crosses. The Tree of Life motif is also commonly found as a design element in highland Maya

textiles.

    –Taken from http://www.buriedmirror.com/yaxche.htm

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The Yucatan Peninsula

The Yucatan Peninsula is a region at the easternmost tip of Mexico that is comprised of the three Mexican states of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. This region is considered a peninsula because it is almost completely surrounded by water. It is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

The Yucatan is the homeland of the Maya, an indigenous group of people that have lived in this area for thousands of years and whose descendants continue to reside in this region. Many major ancient Mayan archaeological sites are located in this area. Some of the most important ones are Chichén Itzá, Tulum, Cobá, Edzná, Uxmal, and Kabah.

The Yucatan Peninsula is also famous for its colonial cities such as the state capitals of Campeche and Mérida. Many people around the world also come to the Yucatan for its beautiful beaches and resort towns such as Cancún and Playa del Carmen.

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USING THE KWL AND CORNELL NOTES GRAPHIC ORGANIZERSFOR YOUR MUSEUM VISIT

KWL GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

A KWL graphic organizer helps students to connect their learning to prior knowledge. It has three sections. The “K” column represents what students already know about a topic. Students will create a list here of facts that they may already know about the topic. The “W” column represents what they would like to know about a topic. Here, students will develop questions about what knowledge they would like to pursue about their topic. Both of these sections are to be filled out before students participate in the lesson or, in our case, visit the museum. The “L” column is filled out after their museum visit. Here students will write down what they learned about their topic during their visit. As you can see, the KWL graphic organizer can also serve as an assessment tool of their museum visit.

This organizer can be used and adapted for all grades, but especially for grades 4-8.

CORNELL NOTES GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

The purpose of the Cornell Notes system of note taking is to help students organize notes and main ideas about a chosen topic. If your group is visiting the museum and you would like them to focus their visit on a specific topic related to the exhibition, they can use this organizer to do so. This sheet can serve as a form of assessment of the museum visit.

First, have students write their topic in the upper left box on the provided sheet. Have your students write their notes on the right-hand large column on the sheet. This is also a good area to write down the information about specific works of art and to create sketches. If a student runs out of room, give him or her as many new Cornell Notes templates as they need.

Next, students will develop main idea sentences and important questions and write these in the left-hand column. Once a student finishes, they can summarize what they learned or concluded from their notes and visit in the bottom square.

This organizer can be used for grades 7-12.

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Name:

TOPIC:

Name:

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KWhat I Know

WWhat I Want to Know

LWhat I Learned

Topic/ExhibitionTeacher:Class:Date:

Questions/Main Ideas: Notes/Works of Art

Summary:

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