The Mexican Embassy yesterday honoured writers Sir Wilson Harris, Derek Walcott, Sir V. S. Naipaul, Sergio Pitol and Octavio Paz, during its celebrations of this year’s Day of the Dead.
According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Mexican Ambassador to Guyana Ivan Roberto Sierra-Medel explained that the festival is a combination of traditions that honour and celebrate family and friends who have passed away.
“It is deeply entrenched into the Mexican society because it has historical roots leading to the aesthetics and even before that time when the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century in Mexico… The Catrina tradition also blended with Hispanic tradition… For Mexicans to celebrate and honour our ancestors it is as a very sacred practice because we owe them respect and it is thanks to them that we are here,” Sierra-Medel told DPI.