Janitzio Michoacan

Janitzio, Michoacan
The lake of Patzcuaro and Janitzioisland is located 60 kilometers from Morelia, Michoacan state capital. The island struck by the beauty of its white buildings with red tile roofs.

Duck hunting with fisga
Ducks hunting with Fisga between the unique traditions of this region is spicy duck. Traditionally duck hunting is carried out by the people of the place from a canoeand hunted in the air with a fisga.
Vigil in the cementary
Vigil in the cemetery so unique in this region is the vigil in the cemetery on 1 November. Women and children, in the island of Janitzio, are the only permitted within the cemetery to perform the night vigil. While men wait them at the entrance.
The importance of the arch
The importance of the Arch on the tomb is placed the arch.Taken of the missionaries, indigenous cross that bears the arch symbolizes fire, the Sun and venus, as priest and Messenger. It also represents the number five with a point at each corner and one in the Center. Corner symbolize the cardinal point and the center represents the Sun. The Union of these five points coincides with two lines intersect.
The revelation of the angels
November 1st, atdawn, children take central place. Warm to protect from the cold, follow their parents to the cemetery where the vigil will take place. For three hours, in the tombs of deceased siblings and sisters, they will ensure while their parents eyes from the edge of the cemetery .

Michoacan is probably one of the most representative of the merging of the two cultures, observed in their magnificent Spanisharchitecture, its spacious plazas or squares, and their folklore and religious fervor of their traditions.
Towards the last days of October, the entire region prepares for the great fiesta of Los Días de Muertos, the Days of the Dead. The square fills with stands that offer all types of colorful figures allusive to death, the most popular made of sugar.
Markets are filled with the cempasúchilflower; this orange marigold was the flower that the Aztecs used to remember their dead by. Its color represents the tones of earth and is used to guide the souls to their homes and altars.
Many families grow their own cempasúchil, believing that doing so is more appropriate for their offerings. Through their work and their care, these flowers grow and will finally adorn their ofrendas and theirtombs.
Very early in October, all over the country, bakeries offer the delicious Pan de Muerto, Day of the Dead bread, made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, orange peel, anise and yeast. The bread is adorned with strips of dough simulating bones and at the top a small round piece of dough that symbolizes teardrops. These breads are placed on the altars or ofrendas, and are also taken to the tombsin the graveyard.
Another traditional dish prepared for the celebration is the tasty Calabaza en Tacha, Sweet Pumpkin, a dessert prepared with pumpkin, cinnamon, and piloncillo, dark sugar cones.
Janitzio is one of the islands on lake Patzcuaro, with 1,500 inhabitants. Little white houses all with red tile roofs crowd the island, and at the summit the stone statue of one of the fathers ofMexico’s Independence, José María Morelos, dominates the view.
To get to the island it is necessary to take launches that constantly go to and fro Janitzio, carrying and bringing passengers as well as provisions and merchandise.
There is no busier times for the launches that on the days of the dead.
On the eve of El Día de Muertos, the boats are loaded with people that are very busy taking the flowersand essential articles for the celebrations.
The island is dressing up with beauty and mysticism!
On the lake, one can also see the fishermen with their traditional nets that grace the view. They are called Butterfly Nets. Watching the fishermen go out in groups is a bewitching spectacle, particularly during the early ours of the morning, with the mist and the calming stillness of the lake....