Families in Pomuch clean and dress ancestors for Day of the Dead

Families in Pomuch, a town in the municipality of Hecelchakán in the southern state of Campeche, Mexico, prepare the remains of their deceased relatives for the Day of the Dead.

This tradition involves the physical cleaning and dressing of bones to ensure that ancestors feel loved and remembered during their annual return to the world of the living. Residents begin preparations weeks before the holiday by announcing to their deceased relatives that it is time to get ready.

During the celebration, family members remove skulls and ribs from small wooden boxes called ossuaries. They wrap the bones in lace or embroidered tablecloths, leaving the lids slightly open so the remains can catch the air. Marisol Yam, a 29-year-old local resident, explains that the community believes the bones need to breathe and that failing to clean them before October 30 results in the ancestors becoming forgotten souls.

The practice begins only after a person has been buried for at least three years to ensure the body has completely decomposed. If a body is not ready after that time, families may wait several more years before moving the remains into an ossuary. Once the transition happens, families arrange the skeleton and begin the yearly cycle of cleaning and decorating the bones. Beyond the cemetery, families host banquets in their homes.

They set out traditional offerings like bread, fruit, and candied treats, and provide specific items like toys for children who passed away. Parents often place food on a table for the deceased and then remove it before eating, inviting the spirits to join them.