Janal Pixán — the food of souls

The festival

In Yucatán, Janal Pixán — "comida de las ánimas", the food of souls, in Maya — is the way in which the Mayan people receive their dead, from 31 October to 2 November. Families set up an altar table illuminated with wax candles, under the trees of the patio or near the tombs, with photographs of the deceased, flowers, street branches and seasonal dishes.

The main piece is the mucbipollo, or pib: a large tamal of corn stuffed with chicken and pork, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked buried, in a hole of earth garnished with wood and stones. A week later, the bix, or ochavario, repeats the rite in more simple ways to accompany souls, guided by rows of candles lit at the doors of the houses.