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I know this post is a bit late but I just want to share this experience.  Celebrating an event is always different from any other part of the world just like how Guatemala celebrates their All Saints Day.  What they do on this day is that they make gorgeous, enormous kites to honor their dead.  See the article All Saints Day kites in Guatemala by Johan Ordonez.

Here in the Philippines, we celebrate it by going to the cemetery and visiting our love one’s tomb.  For those people who are far from cemeteries usually just lit a candle and put it on their gates or in front of their doors.  In this gesture, they are showing their dead love ones that they are remembered and still love.  But yet others are saying that if you do not do these, dead love ones would think they have forgotten them and they would visit your home and scare you.  And this would be followed by countless ghost stories that even if you have heard before would still scare and make your hair stand.

For me I do not really believe on ghost and the supernaturals, but I would still be afraid and give me chills whenever I am alone and crossing some super dark creepy places.  My mind would release thoughts of someone is watching you behind those trees, someone would appear on the backseat and you would see them on your rear mirror, someone would appear in front of you, white silk dresses floating and walking on the not so far away dark area.  Yup just like the regular ghost stories you hear and those are the ones appearing on your mind while I am on the venture of me keeping cool while I would feel numbness from my spine up to my head., numbness on every part of your body.

To continue, we went to Mandaluyong Cemetery to visit my uncles and aunts.   The typical November 1 scene is always present; scorching heat, lines of people in and out the cemeteries, store stands in front of the cemetery gates etc.  You would hear different stories every corner, different faces and status, and different ways on celebrating this day.

Others are there to visit their dead love ones, other are their to meet friends, others are there to meet relatives and love ones, and others are there to make a living.  You would here someone yelling for services they offer like repainting and putting gate covers for the grave, selling candles, food, drinks and many others.    You would see children collecting melted candles and making them balls to be sold later and turned into candles and wax.  But the most noble work this day would be our fellow baranggay guradians and policemens.  This day is a holiday for all of us but they they are there to ensure peace and make sure everyone are in order and safe.

To be honest, I do not see why other people are there the whole day and even make overnights.  I think we are only in the cemetery for about 2 hours only and only doing some rites to our dead love ones and chat with relatives that are there and the rest of the time it would be doing nothing.  For me my remaining time would be observing other people and looking at graves especially their names and year of birth.   The image above shows the person who lived the earliest on the area where I was and it is 1890. Whew, he was born when Jose Rizal was born. That must have been cool.

We all know that November 1 becomes an event where relatives meet especially those you do not see often. In short, this day has become a reunion for most all.  That is not bad for me or for anyone either.  But whats irritating is that most people would occupy your portion of grave, just see the image above for a sample.  As if they own the whole block.  Reunions during this day is good, but are loud music acceptable?  For them it is good but how about those persons who prefer quiet moments?  Playing children and dancing people are not bad either as long as they do not disturb others.  I am not sure about the scenes in mausoleums on private cemeteries but I am sure they are the same.   Are these bad or not? For me its alright with me because I am there doing my part for my dead love ones and as long as they do not disturb me that much on the things I am doing, its fine with me.

But as we leave the cemetery, my father spoke.  He said, All Saints Day’s are not the same as before, this days should always be solemn not partying.  His statement made me think and nodded to it.  Yes, we are Filipinos and our culture will always be close ties with love ones and this is how most of us are born, to respect the dead, our loves ones, our friends, ourselves and especially others.