Xantolo y Cempasúchil

Written By Anayeli Cruz
A seed story 
In honor of those who have passed. 
Photo: Anayeli Cruz.
Anayeli Cruz wrote the first seed story we shared in honor of Xantolo and the beloved cempasúchil (pronounced sempah-SOO-cheel) flowers. Central to Anayeli’s story is her tribute to her culture, heritage, and legacy, descended from her father's lineage, and originating from the town of Huejutla in the state of Hidalgo.

Día de los Muertos is a tradition that is celebrated throughout Mexico. The celebration varies depending on the region. At the center of the celebration is the well-known flower of cempasúchil. My father’s lineage is of Huasteca Nahuatl, from the community of Ozuluama, located in the town of Huejutla in the state of Hidalgo. In preparation for Xantolo, or as referred to in other parts of the country, “Day of the Dead,” the community prepares the seeds of the cempasúchil flowers to be sown in June.

Analeyi gathers cempasúchil flowers from her grandfather's garden to prepare an altar for Xantolo.

Photo: Anayeli Cruz

A special ceremony is done in order to give offerings to the earth and pray for an abundance of flowers to be harvested in October in time for Xantolo. In the last days of October, the flowers are harvested and are used to adorn “el arco” (an arch) that forms important part of the altar. The remainder of the petals are used to create a path from the altar to the road, to help guide the spirits to the altar. The flowers fill the air with their aromatic sent, among with the smoke of copal, typical food, and the music traditional to the area.

Cempasúchil come with healing gifts, so important at this time of year as our energies wind down in accord with the seasons. The beauty, scent, and medicinal properties of cempasúchil invite us to reflect upon and honor our ancestors and legacies handed down, entrusted to us with care.
Photos: Anayeli Cruz, Lauren Muscatine.
Central to Anayeli’s story is her tribute to her culture, heritage, and legacy, descended from her father's lineage, and originating from the town of Huejutla in the state of Hidalgo. The Xantolo and Día de Muertos tradition is rooted in the belief that from nightfall on October 31st to November 2nd the spirits of those who have passed away return to the earth to visit their relatives. 
Photos: www.codigosanluis.com
Anayeli Cruz

Anayeli is a Mexican woman of Huasteca Nahuatl decent and a naturalized US citizen. She holds a master’s degree from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and a bachelor’s degree from Sonoma State University. She has lived in Napa for 24 years and has experience working in non-profits, organizing, activism, and birth work. She co-edited and collected stories and testimonies of undocumented people in Napa and its surrounding areas in the book DREAM: A Book of Undocumented Migrant Spectrum of Education [in] Access. Her interest in seeds expanded as she explored the history of her family’s own connection. Anayeli has greatly supported the seed library using her bilingual skills to include and encourage the involvement of Napa’s Spanish-speaking community.

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