An inconsolable mother dressed in white wanders through the floating gardens of Mexico City in search of her children killed by the coronavirus, in an adaptation of the pandemic era of a legend rooted in Aztec mythology.
The classic work “La Llorona” (The woman who cries) returns to Xochimilco, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, before the Day of the Dead, with a moving tribute to those who suffered from Covid-19.
The ghost with the black hair of floating, which according to legend reappears every year in search of its massacred offspring, has spread through Latin America.
“It is committed to the memory of all who left without saying goodbye to their loved ones and all the families who suffered this loss,” Nayeli Cortés, who played the role of the mourning mother for 11 years, told AFP.
Measures such as clear plastic or fabric mask and a smaller audience allowed functionality and extravagant pandemic costumes at age 27.
The coronavirus has killed another 86,000 people in Mexico, one of the tolls in the world, and as in other countries, other people are separated from their families.
“Not being to hug, hold hands or kiss (loved ones) is very frustrating and that’s why, right now, you’re engaged to them,” said director Maria Luisa Castillo.
We know they’re here with us and this is the tribute we can pay them, and also tell them, “We’re there. We’re you. You’ll never be forgotten. “
According to experts, the legend of the wandering ghost was first documented around 1550.
It is related to horrible omens completed before the Spanish conquest that predicted the end of the Tenochtitlán empire 500 years ago.
The audience saw the exhibition from the gondolas that cross the canals of Xochimilco, which attracts about one million tourists a year, but which was closed for almost six months due to the pandemic.
Hugo Cruz, a 46-year-old pilot, said it’s vital to keep the legend alive for generations.
“If we don’t teach (traditions) to our children, they will be lost,” he said.
“I think we are the country that loves death in this way. “
It is the idea that the Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in Mexico the first two days of November, is the opening of the door that separates the living from the deceased.
This year, the one known for its bright colors and elaborate costumes will be a more moderate and reduced treatment due to the pandemic.
nc/dr/st