Halloween

We spent Halloween building our own ofrenda for the dead, and dealing with the dead cow problem.

Walking over to Yotatiro, we found that the cow (a calf, actually) wasn't actually dead — but it seemed to be mortally wounded. We wanted to quickly put the poor cow out of its misery, but we didn't have the expertise to do it properly. We learned that there was an old man in town who was an expert in butchering, but he was out drinking at another town, and wouldn't be back until 4 PM. We weren't thrilled about waiting, but we decided it was the best option. The cow had to be purchased from its owner.

Back at the Rancho, making lunch on the outdoor stove.

Painting a totem pole to serve as a template for papier mache masks.

Making our ofrenda, with photos of lost loved ones.

Back in Yotatiro, waiting for the butcher to return. It was a beautiful evening.

butchering

The old man with the butchering skills did eventually return, a bit tipsy (as expected), and he agreed to help us with the cow. It turned out that the cow had expired on its own earlier in the day.

We then experienced the fascinating process of transforming a cow into meat. There are some graphic photos here, so only true carnivores may want to look at them.

(butchering photos)

Dinner at Beto's house. We ate tasty enchiladas (not beetles).

More ofrenda photos at the Rancho.