Meet the families harvesting the flowers that guide souls home on the Day of the Dead
Photos and text by Koral Carballo Edit by Virginia Lozano
In the fields of Atlixco, San Fúlix Hidalgo, San Pedro Cholula and San Gregorio Zacapechpan in the central Mexican state of Puebla, golden flowers shine like the sun next to an elegant purple flower. These flowers are the "cempohualxochitl" or "cempoalxóchitl" which in Náhuatl, means "20 flowers" because it appears that inside the flower there are many more. The purple flowers, called "terciopelos," which translates to "velvet," are also cultivated in Africa and Asia. The "Cempoalxóchitl" flowers are known as "Cempasúchil" in Spanish.
Estas familias cosechan flores para las almas que vuelven en Día de Muertos
Fotografías y texto por Koral Carballo Edición by Virginia Lozano
En los campos de Atlixco, San Fúlix Hidalgo, San Pedro Cholula y San Gregorio Zacapechpan en el estado de Puebla en México, brillan como el sol flores de color dorado quienes se acompañan de una flor elegante de color morado.Estas flores son el "Cempohualxochitl" o "Cempoalxóchitl", que en Náhuatl significa "veinte flores" porque pareciera que dentro de la flor hay muchas más; y el "terciopelo", una flor que también se cultiva en África y Asia.
Alonso, the son of Maria Fernanda Hérnandez, plucks a cempasúchil flower in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Virginia Marin Solis, 68 in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Azucena, 26, in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes y Miriam García Reyes durante la jornada laboral cosechando flor Terciopelo en San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, México.
Maria Azucena Hernandez holds the sickle, work tool, while harvesting Terciopelo flower in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Her hand was held by her son during the workday. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Azucena Hernandez holds the sickle, work tool, while harvesting Terciopelo flower in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Her hand was held by her son during the workday. Koral Carballo for NPR
Sara and her son Pablo during their work day harvesting Cempasúchil flowers in San Gregorio Zacapechpan, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Cempasúchil flower at sunrise in San Pedro Cholula, Puebla. Abril, daughter of Maria Fernanda Hernandez playing with the petals of the Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Cempasúchil flower at sunrise in San Pedro Cholula, Puebla. Abril, daughter of Maria Fernanda Hernandez playing with the petals of the Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Abril and Alonso play while their family harvests Cempasúchil flowers in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, 29, has been harvesting for the last 6 years after marrying Virginia Marin's son in San Fulix Hidalgo. Miriam García Reyes, 14, has been working for three years in the fields of the Marin Solis family in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, 29, has been harvesting for the last 6 years after marrying Virginia Marin's son in San Fulix Hidalgo. Miriam García Reyes, 14, has been working for three years in the fields of the Marin Solis family in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, holds a Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Lula, the Marin Solis family's dog rests during her family's workday in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez's hair with pistils of the Cempasúchil flower that her daughter Abril placed in her hair in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez's hair with pistils of the Cempasúchil flower that her daughter Abril placed in her hair in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Abril throws Cempasúchil flower petals to the sky as her parents, aunts and grandparents work harvesting flowers in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Alonso, the son of Maria Fernanda Hérnandez, plucks a cempasúchil flower in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Virginia Marin Solis, 68 in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Azucena, 26, in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes y Miriam García Reyes durante la jornada laboral cosechando flor Terciopelo en San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, México.
Maria Azucena Hernandez holds the sickle, work tool, while harvesting Terciopelo flower in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Her hand was held by her son during the workday. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Azucena Hernandez holds the sickle, work tool, while harvesting Terciopelo flower in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Her hand was held by her son during the workday. Koral Carballo for NPR
Sara and her son Pablo during their work day harvesting Cempasúchil flowers in San Gregorio Zacapechpan, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Cempasúchil flower at sunrise in San Pedro Cholula, Puebla. Abril, daughter of Maria Fernanda Hernandez playing with the petals of the Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Cempasúchil flower at sunrise in San Pedro Cholula, Puebla. Abril, daughter of Maria Fernanda Hernandez playing with the petals of the Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Abril and Alonso play while their family harvests Cempasúchil flowers in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, 29, has been harvesting for the last 6 years after marrying Virginia Marin's son in San Fulix Hidalgo. Miriam García Reyes, 14, has been working for three years in the fields of the Marin Solis family in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, 29, has been harvesting for the last 6 years after marrying Virginia Marin's son in San Fulix Hidalgo. Miriam García Reyes, 14, has been working for three years in the fields of the Marin Solis family in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez Reyes, holds a Cempasúchil flower. Koral Carballo for NPR
Lula, the Marin Solis family's dog rests during her family's workday in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez's hair with pistils of the Cempasúchil flower that her daughter Abril placed in her hair in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Maria Fernanda Hernandez's hair with pistils of the Cempasúchil flower that her daughter Abril placed in her hair in San Fulix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Abril throws Cempasúchil flower petals to the sky as her parents, aunts and grandparents work harvesting flowers in San Fúlix Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico. Koral Carballo for NPR
Koral Carballo
Koral Carballo ( b. Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico in 1987) She tells stories related to identity, violence and territory;
dissolving frontiers between photojournalism and visual arts.
She began her career as a photojournalist in 2009 and in 2016 she decided to leave the local media to investigate her own long-term projects. She is currently working as a photojournalist, documentary photographer, visual storyteller and freelance artist.
