If you ever find yourself in the mountains of Guerrero during a village festival, don’t be alarmed if you see a man in a jaguar mask leaping at another dressed as a farmer swinging a whip. You haven’t stumbled into a surreal jungle nightmare — you’ve entered the world of the Tlacololeros.

Sure, everyone talks about Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca or Mexico City. But travel deep into the Huasteca region — a lush area spread across parts of San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, and Hidalgo — and you’ll discover a version of the holiday that feels more raw, more ancestral, and honestly... a little wilder.