The Day of the Dead, a Celebration of Life and Death

The Day of The Dead celebrations, the inspiration for the award winning Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios animated film Coco, conclude today. The sacred, multiday celebrations, a tradition observed throughout Mexico to honor dead loved ones, traces roots back hundreds of years to the country’s indigenous population. During the holiday, the celebrations center around the belief that those living are being reunited with departed family members. The practices and importance of the holiday vary among regions, but the vibrant tradition remains especially strong in remote towns far from the bustle of the big cities. Bloomberg News photographers César Rodríguez and Mauricio Palos captured rarely seen local traditions in the towns of San Luis Potosi and Guerrero states. Few tourists come to these towns, leaving thousands of local residents to come together to celebrate life, death, tradition and love.