The House of Flowers

My favorite market in Mexico City is the Mercado Jamaica.  I have written about it numerous times on this blog, and last week I visited it once again.  At Jamaica you will find the typical stalls selling produce, meats, and household goods, but this is also the city's major flower market.  At any time of year it is colorful and impressive sight with it stands selling cut flowers and flower arrangements.

There are more than 5000 types of flowers and plants for sale here, but at this time of year, in the days leading up to the Day of the Dead, the star of the show is the marigold.  You have never seen so many marigolds in your life!  They are brought in by the truckload... potted plants and enormous heaps of cut flowers.

The marigold is known in Mexico as the "cempasúchil", a name derived from the Aztec word "cempohaulxochitl", meaning "flower of twenty petals".  It is the most important flower for the Day of the Dead for decorating graves and the "ofrendas" in honor of the departed.  It is believed that its bright color and pungent odor guide the souls of the dead to the land of the living.  The flower is cultivated in many parts of central Mexico, but the biggest producer is the nearby state of Puebla where more than 16 thousand tons of flowers are produced each year. 

The second most important flower for the Day of the Dead is the "terciopelo" (velvet flower), a variety of celosia.

The Jamaica Market is also the best place to buy Day of the Dead decorations and all of the items needed for setting up the "ofrenda", the altar which honors one's departed loved ones.

Colorful strings of banners of "papel picado" and candles

Sugar skulls and also skulls made of chocolate or amaranth

The sugar skulls are not just a sweet treat.  Nowadays people usually put photographs of their deceased loved ones on the "ofrenda".  But in the days before photography, the names of the deceased would be written on the skulls to honor those who had passed away.

Colorful ceramic skulls are another decoration which is frequently placed on the "ofrenda".

As mentioned previously, Halloween customs have infiltrated the Day of the Dead celebration.  The orange pumpkins that we use for jack o' lanterns are not a squash typically found in Mexico.  But at this time of year you will now see them in the markets.

Lots of skeletons, even skeletons of dogs

The xolo (Mexican hairless dog) was considered a guide to the afterlife in pre-Hispanic civilizations.

And of course there are the "Catrinas", the elegantly dressed skeletons.