Controversy has emerged surrounding an exhibition in Mexico where visitors stop and stare at the preserved body of an unidentified woman, nicknamed 'the witch,' displayed behind bars in a museum. The exhibition, located in the city of Guanajuato, showcases over 100 naturally mummified corpses, including infants. The public display has sparked a heated debate, with some considering the mummies a part of the city's cultural heritage, while others view it as unethical commercial exploitation.
These mummified bodies, exhumed between 1870 and 2004 due to space constraints in a local cemetery, were designated as 'cultural heritage' by local authorities, as no living relatives could be contacted. The corpses have now become a lucrative tourist attraction, generating approximately $2 million in annual revenue from around 600,000 visitors.
Most of the mummies are exhibited upright in glass cases, with minimal distance between their skulls and the display lights. The dimly lit hallways of the Santa Paula cemetery museum play a mournful melody as visitors explore the macabre collection. Recently, controversy escalated when several mummies were transported to Mexico City for display at a tourist fair in March. The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) expressed concern about potential fungal growth on one of the bodies, as white spots were visible on the torso and legs in pictures.
The Guanajuato government maintains that the transportation of the remains was handled with care and asserts that the mummies represent a significant generational connection. They claim to have requested the INAH to thoroughly examine all the remains before exhibiting them in Mexico City.
The exhibition has divided opinions among residents of Guanajuato. Some, like Luis Garcia, a 50-year-old tour guide, find it disrespectful to have their relatives displayed in such a manner. On the other hand, Josefina Lemus, a retired teacher aged 69, believes it is not denigrating and would not mind being exhibited if her remains were mummified, suggesting that the chances of having living relatives are unlikely.
Ilan Leboreiro, an anthropologist involved in a commission established by the INAH to investigate the mummies' identities and condition, highlights that the mummification process can occur naturally as a body dehydrates. The commission's objective is to restore dignity to the remains and criticize the way in which the 'witch' is exhibited, deeming it unethical to treat human remains in such a manner.