Tonight there will be a lot of trick or treaters out and about - but Belize's northern communities are not as much into Halloween as they are into their tradition called - Day of the Dead which is celebrated on the first and second of November.
It's a 500 year old tradition, where it is believed that the souls of ancestors return to join the living, in festivities that includes food and dancing. Candy skulls are placed on the tombs of loved ones along with funny poems about the dead.
This year the Mexican Embassy in Belmopan is hosting an exhibition on the - Day of the Dead- to display the traditional celebration. 7news stopped by to check out preparations.
Hector Peralta, D/ Chief of Mission, Mexican Institute
"We are trying here in the Embassy to recreate a very old tradition - five hundred year old tradition that is celebrated in Mexico, celebrating the dead and the decease trying to facilitate the transit from one place to a better place for the decease. Relatives, friends, close people that unfortunately passed away before us. That is why we here at the Embassy we are trying to recreate like a cemetery. We are trying to recreate like what we called the Alter of the dead. With this offering that we have for the close ones in which we represent and we offer the best that we can have. "
"Let's say we can offer their favorite meals, their favorite foods, their favorite drinks, we are as well presenting with some lights, unfortunately not in the day light, but if it would be in the night with the candles we show the road and how to reach a better place. The Alter or the offering has a different level like the heaven, the air, the dirt and ground. In the cemetery we use to have a good approach with the dead with funny obituaries."
"It is something that in Mexico we respect the dead, but we feel that the dead is a close companion - it's a close friend that sooner or later we will have to meet again. That why we want to present this heritage. This is part of the heritage of Mexican that has been recognized already by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) like and intangible heritage of the humanity. And it is celebrated in Mexico in different places; central, northern southern, everywhere in Mexico and it always takes places on the 1st and 2nd of November."
"This has been a big effort for the Embassy, trying to recreate the great diagram of the cemetery. It is very difficult, we have been trying to use all of our resources, and we are unfortunately by sanitary restrictions or regulations that all countries have. Let's say we couldn't bring the natural flowers that we normally use in the grave yards with is the Cempasúchi - which is a yellow berry blossom which is very nice, but we are trying. We have handmade some of them here, trying to recreate. But it will be open to the public, everybody can come look at it."
"On the second of November at 7 we are going to have a life celebration in which we join as well as we do in Mexico with music, with celebration festivities. That's why the concept is unique, we don't disrespect the dead we respect the dead, as I said we consider the dead a friend."
You can check out the traditional Day of the Dead display at the Mexican Embassy in Belmopan. The exhibit will run up until November second.
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