Cozumel’s Ofrenda a la Tierra Honors the Dead With Ancestral Songs and 500 Candles

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — The Fundación de Parques y Museos de Cozumel (FPMC), the foundation that manages the island’s parks and museums, held a cultural and community event titled “Ofrenda a la Tierra: Tributo a la Memoria” at the Parque Urbano Corazón, drawing local families for an evening dedicated to honoring the dead and strengthening ties to the natural world.

The program was organized with Red Florecer, led by psychologists Azucena Luna and Sarai Piña, and the local art project Casa Casero, represented by artist Fernanda Chay.

At the center of the event was an offering surrounded by ancestral chants and medicinal music performed on ukulele and drums. Organizers also installed a circuit of more than 500 candles along the route known as “Contacto y Respeto con la Naturaleza” (Contact and Respect for Nature), creating an illuminated path for the nighttime walk through the grounds.

Maya Calendar and Cultural Traditions

Attendees placed offerings of seeds, flowers and other natural elements. The program incorporated work with the Maya calendar, weaving in ancestral traditions alongside the use of copal incense and chants to remember the deceased.

Adrián Andrés Tun Cano, who heads the Parque Urbano Corazón, delivered the welcome message and recognized the efforts of the community and participating collectives. FPMC Director General Juanita Alonso Marrufo said the activities align with the community participation and cultural identity priorities of the Nuevo Acuerdo por el Bienestar y Desarrollo de Quintana Roo, the state government’s development agreement.