Raquel Bessudo shares with us the beautiful traditions of Día de Muertos practised by Sara López Cruz in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Sara López Cruz, from Villa de Ordaz, Oaxaca, invites us to discover her traditions for Día de Muertos. Yet her story is so moving and full of strength that it deserves to be told in its own right.
“Galbani”, which means life in Zapotec, is the name she gave to her bakery. With it, she honours her family and her Zapotec roots. She calls it her third daughter.
Sara’s inspiration comes from the women in her family: a great-grandmother who lived through the Revolution, a mother who raised her children alone, and grandparents who taught her to love and respect life in all its forms.
Breaking with tradition in her town, Sara found the courage to leave an abusive husband and start again. With determination, she built her bakery to create a better future for herself and her two daughters.
Today, with a bright smile and tears in her eyes, she proudly shares that her eldest daughter is in college and the younger one is finishing high school. Her journey is one of love, resilience, and hard work.
For Día de Muertos, Sara spends long hours baking the traditional Pan de Muerto of the Zapotec region. On this special day, families come together to drink hot chocolate, share bread, and enjoy the food prepared with care and devotion.
The moment you step into her home, you feel its warmth—the aroma of chocolate and fresh bread. You leave not only with the taste of her food but with the love and strength that fill her story.
