Hanal Pixan. Day of the Dead

Hanal Pixan. Day of the Dead in Pomuch, Campeche

Audio-slide show about the Day of the Day or Hanal Pixan in Pomuch village, where they have a unique custom of cleaning off the bones of their late loved ones.

The town is located in the municipality of Hecelchakán in Mexico´s Campeche state on the Yucatan peninsula.

The cleaning of the bones is of Mayan origin an today we see that pepole putting candles, using sheets. This came with the colonization of our country Mexico and to Pomuch.

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The Guilds

I´m sharing The Guilds, a new audio-slide show about Easter week in Trujillo, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain, where medieval Germanic guilds evolved into today´s Holy Week brotherhoods. Jose Antonio Ramos Rubio, the town´s historian, explains how centuries ago his city solved a controversy between two neighborhoods that wanted to parade their statues of the crucified Christ on Holy Friday.

Trujillo is one of Spain´s oldest cities. The contribution of this city to the exploration and conquest of the Americas was substantial. Many famous explorers were born in the city, such as Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of Perú, or Francisco de Orellana, the first European who found the Amazon.

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Petenera

Sharing my latest audiovisual about the Petenera Flamenca, a flamenco music style that branches off from the music of Peteneras, folk music with roots in both México and Spain.

The Petenera flamenca has been always surrounded in mystery, and has been one of the richest styles of flamenco music. Some believe it came from the Caribbean in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Other say the name "Petenera" comes from the name of the people who live in Peten, Guatemala. Others see its origins in religious and Gregorian Christian chants. Yet others point to the songs of the Spain´s King Alfonso X "The Wise".

During the 18th century, a female singer from Paterna de Rivera, called "La Petenera", put her signature on the Flamenco Petenera, making it very popular in southern Spain. Today the people from this town are the guardians of this style of flamenco.

To visit the audio-slide show enter this link: www.chicosanchez.com/petenera

 (Photo ©Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved)

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The Black Christ Brotherhood

Audiovisual story about the Black Christ Brotherhood in Caceres, in Spain's Extremadura region.

The Black Christ Brotherhood was inactive for two centuries until a group of friends revived it in 1985. Alonso Corrales Gaitán, steward of the brotherhood, explains how the order originally started as a group who helped the poor and buried the unwanted dead, and that today the brotherhood focuses on charity work and parades every Wednesday of Easter Week.

The sculpture of the Black Christ by an anonymous author arrived to Caceres in the 14th century and is historically linked to the flight of the Templars from Europe to Portugal.

To view the audiovisual enter this link: www.chicosanchez.com/blackchrist

 (Photo ©Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved)

For more of my photography work please enter my website: www.chicosanchez.com

Coming back home. Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, México

I´m sharing my most recent audio-slide show about The Day of the Dead tradition en Oaxaca, Mexico. This celebration mixes ancient Pre-Hispanic traditions with the European tradition of the Catholic All Souls Day.

Every year Oaxacans decorate their cemeteries with flowers and candles. They create bountiful altars filled with food and drink, for their loved ones who have passed who return home on this special day for a visit.

To see the audio-slide show visit this link: www.chicosanchez.com/comingbackhome

(Photo ©Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved)

I interviewed Jose Hernandez Alaves, a candle maker in the town of Teotitlan del Valle. The music bands are ¨Los Reformistas¨ from Teotitlan del Valle and ¨Oro de Oaxaca¨ from
San Jeronimo Tlacochahuaya. The last song was recorded from a band playing a funeral song during an actual funeral process that I witnessed at the cemetery in Santa Ana Zegache.

This audiovisual also includes the following places:  Mitla, San Martin Tilcajete, San Sebastian Abasolo, Santa Maria del Tule and Oaxaca de Juarez.