Dia de los muertos, PERU


The Cemetery Nueva Esperanza, largest cemetery in Lima and second in the world, was created in the early 60ths and is located in the district of Villa María del Triunfo; millions of graves ranging from piles of stones to full-out cement altars with stairs, as people have been able to afford. It started out as an appropriation of unused land and it has become a veritable unplanned city of the dead.
On the Day of All Saints (día de los muertos) the Cemetery Nueva Esperanza is the scene of celebration, sadness and pain, dance and music of thousands of people who came to visit and remember their loved ones. Cleaning and repainting the graves, laying some flowers, sharing the dead's favorite foods with them, taking a swig of beer, pouring a swig on the grave, light candles and spending some family time together. Wandering musicians, uploading harps, violins and drums sell their services like the Bible-readers, who read verses loud enough to wake the dead, make that it seems to be at a kind of provincial fair where Andean music, colorful costumes, steaming pots of food within the country are converged.