Eco Museum Belize hosted a Día de los Muertos celebration on November 1st, bringing families and friends together to remember departed loved ones through music, traditional food, and commemorative altars. Held from 11AM to 6PM, the event included museum access, food, dessert, and a drink with admission. Visitors also enjoyed live music and face painting throughout the day.
The gathering centered on remembrance, with photographs, favorite foods, drinks, and colorful decorations honoring those who had passed away. Five altars presented different approaches to honoring the dead. The Aztec altar explored ancestral offerings and death as part of life’s continuing cycle, while the Catholic altar highlighted prayer, Mass, candles, and cemetery visits. The Maya Hanal Pixan altar explained the tradition of “food for the souls.” The children’s altar honored departed babies and children with toys, sweets, white flowers, and candles. A fifth altar remembered pets, recognizing the place of beloved animal companions within families.
The displays also provided historical background on indigenous remembrance practices and their later interaction with Catholic observances. The Hanal Pixan display identified October 31 as a day for remembering departed children, November 1st for adults, and November 2nd for all souls. Food served at the celebration included tamales, frijoles con cerdo, buut’, or relleno negro, and manjar de coco. Other offerings included dulce de papaya, dulce de jicaco and kasham.
Organizers described the celebration as “a resounding success,” thanking participants for sharing their stories and bringing energy to the gathering. They offered special recognition to Moch Cohuo, a musical duo who traveled from Champotón, Campeche, Mexico. “Your melodies breathed life into our gathering,” they said. One visitor also described how the songs stirred memories and emotions associated with departed relatives, reflecting the music’s role in connecting personal remembrance with the cultural traditions represented by the altars.
Organizers also thanked the sponsors who helped make the gathering possible. Grand sponsors were the National Institute of Culture and History, Matachica Resort & Spa, Atlantic Bank, Diamante Beachfront Suites, Cayo Espanto, Hon. Andre Perez, Alvin Granoff—Tenku & Tengkuli, and the San Pedro Town Council. Madrinas and padrinos were El Fogon, Tortilleria El Patio, Shades of Blue Vacation Home Rental, Senator Gabriel Zetina, and Lita Krohn.