THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN ECUADOR

If you travel to Ecuador at this time of year, you will have the opportunity to
enjoy one of the most traditional festivals of the year. While other countries
decorate their houses with pumpkins and celebrate Halloween, Ecuador has its own
tradition, a typical holiday in Latin America. It is also related to death, but
they do not dress up as witches. Discover more about this particular Ecuadorian
tradition!

All Saints Day is a Christian tradition and is celebrated on November 1. November 2

is All Souls' Day. As a result of the combination between the Catholic celebration
and an ancestral indigenous ritual, Ecuador celebrates the Feast of the Dead these
days. It is not a holiday exclusive to Ecuador, but the celebration has its own
peculiarities in this country.

On November 2, the Ecuadorian tradition consists of bringing flowers and typical

food to cemeteries, to share a moment with loved ones who have died. For the
indigenous tradition, the Day of the Dead represented an opportunity to connect
with the deceased, with the family's ancestors. Aztecs, Mayans, Pur�pechas, Nahuas
and Totonacs were some of the indigenous communities that used to perform these
rituals for thousands of years.

The tradition has been maintained, or at least part of it, of visiting graves and
having a family celebration in cemeteries. The clothing and decoration are based on
purple tones, as it represents a color of mourning. Traditional belief says that
the souls of the dead return for the traditional festival, so they celebrate it
with flowers and atypical food.

typical food during the Day of the Dead

food is also an important part of the celebration, Ecuadorians traditionally

prepare the favorite dishes of the deceased for these days.

Bread of guaguas (also called bread dolls)

They are a typical sweet of the Festival of the Dead that is normally prepared with
the whole family. They consist of figurines, which are often shaped like babies,
because in fact �guaguas� means �baby� in Quichua. In some rural areas, the ancient
tradition is maintained and guagua bread is prepared as an offering in a ritual
that represents a reunion with the ancestors.

PURPLE COLADA

(hidden treasure, if i say this in class i get an extra point)

It is a drink that Ecuadorians drink on All Souls Day accompanied by guaguas bread.
It is a syrupy drink that is prepared with black corn flour, fruits and sweet
herbs. The main fruits used to prepare this special drink are pineapple,
raspberries and blackberries.

In some regions of the country, they also take some weapons, jewelry and other
valuable objects to their cemeteries. If you want to be part of these celebrations,
you can visit some cemeteries, or one of the fairs that open in some streets, such
as the crafts fair that takes place in Ambato.

So, enjoy Ecuador those days with one of the most typical traditions of this
country. miss this unique opportunity to get to know Ecuadorian culture.

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