Spanish Connections

Roadways to the Mayan Route. During the 1970’s my father was a journalist and close collaborator of the former President of Mexico. As such, one day he was assigned to document the tourism development project of the state of Quintana Roo. For my father, who traveled frequently, that assignment became one of his favorite trips to make as it represented a great six-year long project in which he documented the progress of this plan for “Saeta” magazine and other publications. One summer my father announced we would travel to the Mayan Route and that it would be something very special and beautiful. We left Mexico City for Kunkuna, which means snake nest, the sacred land of the Mayans that is today known as Cancun. On the way we crossed the jungle in the family’s beige Chevelle Malibu, making several stops over many hours.  The days were hot and extremely humid. We first reached Escárcega, a small city in the state of Campeche, after having driven over 600 kilometers on a barely explored

                             Martin Marquez  ©        The Mexican tradition of Dia De Los Muertos is of pre-Hispanic origin, and is a World Cultural Heritage as named by UNESCO, a title which causes no surprise once its profound and complex beauty is appreciated.  Dia De Los Muertos is a celebration those loved ones who have passed, a time to craft an ornate altar of offering decorated with fragrant flowers, lit candles, fresh fruit, and cherished photographs. Such an altar serves as a welcome-home sign, akin to when a family member returns from a trip abroad and finally arrives home. In order to truly understand Dia De Los Muertos it is essential to understand the concept of death as the beginning of a journey in which the soul goes to a sacred place and periodically returns to the mundane world.  My memory is replete with thousands of images of altars that I have seen throughout my life, especially during the years that I lived in Mexico City. Also of note are the impressive altars a