One of the many local businesses making pibs
Each year, at this time (Hanal Pixan or Day of the Dead) the city of Merida organizes the Festival del Pib, which, if you are from Argentina means one thing, while to most Yucatecans it means something else and is very special indeed. In fact, many look forward to this time of the year just to be able to enjoy one.
The pib, aka mucbilpollo, is the giant tamal baked in the pib (hence the name) and shared with loved ones including those who have “passed” who return at this time in spirit form, to walk among the living for a moment. We set up altars for them with their favorite foods and vices and mark the path to the altar with flowers and candles. All of this you know.
Back to the Festival del Pib. A pib festival! Held every year in the San Sebastian neighborhood and anyone and everyone who cooks participates and presents their best version of the famous tamal and people flock to the festival to eat, drink (sodas) and be (relatively) merry. This year (2023) I went by myself as my better half was not in town and perhaps because of this, I found this edition of the festival less festive and even, well, a little sad.
First of all there were far too many people for the amount of tables and chairs available, which meant you had to sit in the park or stand at a wall, balancing your styro plate and eating your pib with a plastic fork, a terrible idea since it will inevitably break. The problem of not enough seating area by the way is normal and I expect it to be the same in 2024 and the foreseeable future!
Musical entertainment was provided by what was probably the worst trio (two males plus one female who did not sing) I have ever heard in Merida, anywhere. Butchering songs by Manzanero and Cárdenas it was truly painful to my neurotic self and completely unnoticed by most.
All that aside; if you have the time and appetite and can tolerate a festive, hungry crowd, mark the last days of October for this very Yucatecan family style event.
