Ecuadorian tradition

the day of the dead

Every year, on November 2, Ecuadorians gather in local cemeteries to celebrate "Día de los Muertos", or Day of the Dead. While the holiday has similar origins to the Day of the Dead festival in Mexican communities, the traditions are very different. The tradition has developed from a combination between indigenous beliefs and Catholic religion.

Since ancient times, pre-Hispanic tribes have honored their ancestors. When the Spanish arrived and celebrated All Saints Day, indigenous people embraced the tradition. This makes for an interesting blend of customs!

The holiday is celebrate as a day to honor loved ones who are no longer with us, but live on in the afterlife. Families pack lunches with traditional food and gather at the cemeteries. There, they spend the day talking, eating, and help maintain the gravesite. It is a time for the whole family to be together, those living and deceased.

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colada morada

The staple food of the season is the famous colada morada, a thick purple drink made out of black cornflour, blackberries, cinnamon, and pineapple, among other ingredients. To some people, the reddish-purple drink represents blood, which symbolises life of the ones who have passed on from this existence. Up to 20 ingredients might be used, including blackberries, blueberries, and bright red strawberries. The final drink is sweet and thick, almost dessert-like. The drink is then served hot or cold, often accompanied by guaguas de pan.

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guaguas de pan

Families gather at communal ovens to bake guaguas de pan, bread in the shape of small babies or children. Other shapes like spirals and circles, can also be made for consumption as symbols of infinity. But it is the guaguas that are put on the graves. In fact, the street leading up to a cemetery might be full of vendors selling locally made guaguas de pan for those families who do not have access to an oven or time to invest in the baking. 

It is important to remember that to Andean communities, death is just a transition to another life. Bringing what the departed loved most is a way to show their bond with them. In Quito, one of the best places to observe this tradition is in the Cementerio de San Diego, to the southwest of the Old Town. As I moved to Norway and didn’t want to lose this tradition, I decided to create my own traditional recipe with the ingredients I could find, so if you live abroad, try this out and make more people know about the traditions of our beautiful Ecuador!   -Jessica Meza

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