The Colorful Cemeteries of Guatemala

In Guatemala culture, afterlife is highly celebrated, and this cultural aspect is readily visible in their cemeteries. Scattered throughout the countryside of Guatemala are cemeteries that feature tombstones painted as colorfully as possible. Friends and family members paint them using the favorite color of the departed as a way of honoring and remembering the dead. Some of these cemeteries, especially those in the departments of Solóla, Chichicastenango and Xela (Quetzaltenango), have became tourist attractions.During the All Saints Day on November 1, also celebrated as the Day of the Dead, the cemetery becomes the focal point for rituals and prayer for those who have passed on.