Meet The Man Keeping A Rare Day Of The Dead Bone Cleaning Tradition Alive | Still Standing

Summary

In the Mexican village of Pomuch, a unique Día de los Muertos tradition persists where corpses are annually cleaned to care for the afterlife. Don Pichu, a local grave builder, has been performing this ritual for 15 years, but the pandemic has reduced his work. Families clean tombs in preparation for the souls' visit on Day of the Dead, with some hiring Don Pichu for the task. Despite the decline in practice, the tradition continues, with some locals like Rosa María Yam Poot embroidering blankets as offerings for the dead.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Cleaning the dead is a unique Día de los Muertos tradition in the village of Pomuch, Mexico.
• 🕊️ Don Pichu, known for his work with corpses, is a local figure who cleans hundreds of corpses annually, but has seen a decrease in work due to the pandemic.
• 🦴 The ritual of cleaning skeletons is a way for families to care for their relatives in the afterlife and is believed to originate from Indigenous culture.
• 💀 The process includes specific orders for cleaning bones, with the skull always placed on top.
• 🏡 Ancient Mayans treasured their dead by adorning them with jewelry or burying them under their homes, a belief that the soul lives on after death.
• 🗓️ Families clean their dead throughout October to prepare for Día de los Muertos, when souls are believed to visit.
• 👤 Don Pichu has been involved in grave building and bone cleaning for 15 years, making it a second nature to him.
• 💸 The pandemic has significantly impacted Don Pichu's income, as he now earns less from cleaning graves and relies more on his full-time job.
• 🛌 Families replace old blankets with fresh ones during the ritual, symbolizing changing the dead's clothes.
• 🧵 Embroidered blankets are a specialty in Pomuch, with artisans like Rosa María Yam Poot taking pride in their designs and offering them for the souls' protection.
• ⛪️ The tradition is now primarily carried out by Catholics in Pomuch, despite the younger generation increasingly leaving the Catholic Church.

Q & A

What is the 'Cleaning the dead' tradition mentioned in the script?

The 'Cleaning the dead' tradition is a rare Día de los Muertos practice in Mexico, particularly in the village of Pomuch, where corpses are taken out of their tombs for an annual cleaning as a way to care for their relatives in the afterlife.

Why is Don Pichu hired to clean the corpses?

Don Pichu is hired because he has experience in building graves and cleaning bones, and it's also a way for him to make some extra cash. However, the pandemic has reduced the number of visitors to the cemetery, affecting his work.

What is the significance of cleaning skeletons in the context of Día de los Muertos?

The cleaning of skeletons is part of the preparation for Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, when it is believed that the souls of the deceased visit. Families clean the tombs to welcome these souls and ensure the afterlife is comfortable for them.

Why do families wait three years after death to open the tombs for the first clean?

It is against tradition for families to do the first clean after a person's death. They wait three years, and then it's customary to hire someone like Don Pichu to perform the first cleaning of the bones.

What is the origin of the bone-cleaning ritual according to the script?

The exact origin of the bone-cleaning ritual is unknown, but it is widely believed to come from Indigenous culture, with practices similar to those of the Ancient Mayans who treasured their dead by adorning corpses or burying them under their homes.

How does Don Pichu feel about working with corpses?

Don Pichu is not bothered by working with corpses, as he has been helping his family clean bones since he was a child, and after 15 years, it has become second nature to him.

What is the economic impact of the pandemic on Don Pichu's work?

The pandemic has led to fewer people visiting the cemetery, resulting in a decrease in the number of graves Don Pichu cleans, which has affected his income from this job.

What is the role of a fresh blanket in the ritual?

A fresh blanket is brought by families to replace the old one on the tomb, symbolizing changing the dead's clothes. It is seen as an offering and a way to care for the deceased.

Who is Rosa María Yam Poot and what is her contribution to the tradition?

Rosa María Yam Poot is a specialist in embroidering fresh blankets for the ritual. She has been making blankets for 60 years and sees her work as an offering for the souls in exchange for protection.

What challenges does the tradition face in terms of cultural and religious shifts?

The tradition is facing challenges as more of the younger generation in Pomuch are leaving the Catholic church, which traditionally carries on the ritual. Don Pichu's own children and grandchildren, for example, are Jehovah's Witnesses and reject the custom.

How does Don Pichu unwind after a long day of tending to the dead?

The script mentions that the job takes a lot of strength, implying that Don Pichu needs to wind down after a long day, although it does not specify how he unwinds.