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Honorable Mention BIFA 2025 People / Culture

Pomuch and The Ritual of Choo Ba'Ak: When Death Is Part of Life

  • Photographer
    Iván Macías
  • Agency / Studio
    Iván Macías
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention in People / Culture

The Choo Ba'ak is a Mayan ritual held in Pomuch, Mexico, about 10 days before the Day of the Dead. Families clean and care for their ancestors' bones, reflecting a belief that death is continuous with life. It symbolizes devotion, cultural resilience, and identity preservation, challenging modern views by integrating death into daily life. This closeness to ancestral remains represents love and generational continuity.

BIFA
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