Thursday, 1 November 2018: Celestun

We rather missed Halloween and that is fine with me, but we did not miss Dia de Los Muertos.  Ishmael invited us to join his family in what he says is his favorite holiday.  His job was to dog the pit and build and tend the fire.  I don't know what time he started but he told us to get there around ten am.  By that time, the pit (about 3x5 feet) was ready to lay in stones and a grate.  Once the stones were hot, hot, hot, then they added the pork dish, covered it with green palms and a weight of corrugated steel and let it do its magic for three or four hours.  It is very important to Ishmael to teach his sons the Maya ways.  
Meanwhile, Claudia got up at about five am.  Her sister helped her to mix the masa, the spices and to coarsely chop the piglets before wrapping them in banana leaves to bake.  There were fourteen little pigs in our fire pit.  Wrapped in banana leaves they all look the same but since a few were just a bit different, one had cheese, another had mega peppers, Claudia had used a special technique to mark the wrapped bundles.  One had a pull top from a soda can on it.  Another had a long screw tied into the bundle.  Metal symbols that wouldn't interfere with the cooking and would still be easily identifiable after cooking.  Smart girl. This dish - cochinita pubil - is traditional Maya fare and simply delicious.  

So with the pigs on the fire and covered, there was beer to drink to tales to tell.  About three thirty it was time to uncover the deliciousness.  

Ishmael's immediate family was joined by his mother, two brothers , their wives and kids, Claudia's mom, brother and sister and all their kids.  Justin and I were the only two non-Maya people at this shindig.  There were no side dishes or desserts; the pig was the main attraction and it was fabulous!  At first we ate with only our fingers.  A few forks appeared later on and thankfully there were napkins as we got it ear-to-ear.    As we were winding down, everyone too stuffed to move I noticed that everyone seemed to gasp -- and look above my head.  A coconut came loose, rolled down a palm fond and fell on my head!  Yes, right on my head!  I truly saw stars!  My eyes welled with tears but what is a girl to do?  Thankfully, they didn't try to pass it off as a sign of good luck or anything foolish.  I guess it is a good thing I have such a hard head!

Justin and I were shot for the rest of the day but we didn't neglect to voice our gratitude to have been included in this local family traditional celebration.  Ishmael and his family are good people and we are so very fortunate to have them as friends.