Mexico has 132 Pueblo Mágicos, or “magic towns.” The village of Santa María del Río is the newest Pueblo Mágico, earning the designation in December 2020.
In this week’s video, we explore the history and culture that makes Santa María del Río unique, including the making of the town’s intricate rebozos (shawls) and campechana (a crispy pastry that is known across Mexico).
In the second half of the video, it’s time to celebrate. For the first time, Santa María del Río hosted a festival for Día de los Muertos! It was our deep privilege to experience the decorations, altars, costumes, music, food, parade, and traditions associated with this Mexican holiday. We hope you enjoy the evening as much as we did.
Mexico is a country with a complex history, the result of a tumultuous mixing of Indian, Hispanic, and Spanish influences. The Día de los Muertos celebration you see in this week’s video is different from what you’d experience in the state of Michoacán, or in the Huasteca region to the east of us. It’s so interesting how traditions change from region to region. Could you compare this to anything in your home country?
Santa María del Río is located just outside the capital city of San Luis Potosí, where we’ve been staying since October 11. We only have a few more days left here, and then it’s on to another adventure in a different part of interior Mexico!
Thanks for joining our journey.
-B
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