Janitzio - All Souls' Day Festival

Janitzio is also famed for its All Souls' Day Festival (Spanish: "Dia de los Muertos"; Tarascan "Animecha-Kejtzitakua" = "gifts for the dead"). This very lively celebration takes place on the night of November 1st-2nd and combines Catholic and pagan elements into a particularly impressive religious form. On the morning of October 31st the ceremonial Wild Duck Hunt (Kuirisi-ataku) is held on the lake. Heavy spears (Atlatl) approximately 2.5 m (8 ft) in length, are hurled at the ducks.