The Table of the Dead at the celebration of the deceased in the Ecuadorian Coastal Lowlands region

Abstract

Ecuador is considered a multi-ethnic and multicultural country. It has several celebrations that are part of its traditions. One of these celebrations is the feast of All Souls Day, commemorated in a different way in the four regions of the country. In the coastal lowlands region, especially in the province of Santa Elena, the Tugaduaja community performs a ritual called the Table of the Dead, which consists of displaying various foods that the deceased relatives loved. The objective of this article is to describe the elaboration of this ritual from the ethnographic point of view, for which in-depth interviews and observation cards were used. The Table of the Dead is held 2 days a year, on one occasion for dead children and on the other for dead adults. The festive meals that can never be absent from the table are roasted sweet potato, dead man’s bread, corn custard, and goat stew. This social, ritual and festive use contributes to the dialog and respect between the different cultures and communities of Ecuador.

In search of meaning in loss; Clarification of adaptation strategies of the elderly in the face of the death of a spouse: A qualitative study

“…The ndings indicate that the elderly survivor, to please and satisfy the deceased who is in contact or maintaining a bond with the deceased, performs activities that were favored and approved by the deceased, including cultural, religious, social, related to communication with others, type of food or even recreational activities, with enthusiasm, which he may not even be interested or believe in. The study by Efren Silvia Gomez and his colleagues states that in different parts of the world, some tribes tend to perform rituals in uenced by the culture and religion of the region and hold a ceremony under the title of "the Table of the Dead'' on a speci c date, according to the taste, preference, and beliefs of the deceased, which they consider a way to restore the bond and establish a symbolic relationship with the deceased; which in this regard supports the current study about the implementation of the strategy of engaging in the deceased's favorite activities (54).…”

A survey of laxoox/canjeero, a traditional Somali flatbread: production styles

“…Bread types may correspond to specific countries, to subregions or ethnic groups, or cross-boundaries and borders through affiliation with multi-national or diaspora cultures. Bread is also valued for its association with specific rituals such as weddings [ 2 ] and funerals [ 3 ] or spiritual rites, such as breaking religious fasts. Bread has attracted the interest of scholars for more than a millennium.…”