Hola Jetsetters y feliz DÃa De Los Muertos todos- happy Day of the Dead to all! If you're like me and the most you know about DÃa de Los Muertos comes from the beautiful movie, Coco, then join me on this journey as we discover more about this Mexican holiday! While it is a Mexican holiday, it is also celebrated in places like Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and Haiti.
The celebrations for DÃa de Los Muertos go from November 1st to the 2nd and start right at 12am on November 1st, as this is when the gates of Heaven open and the spirits can rejoin their families in the living world. Apparently, the 1st is for the spirits of children to come visit and is called "DÃa de Los Angelitos." The names of the deceased children are written on sugar skulls while ofrendas, or altars, are lined with favorite toys, snacks, candies, and photos to welcome the children. November 2nd get a little more raucous as the "DÃa de Los Difuntos" gets underway. On this day, adults are welcomed back to the land of the living with ofrenda offerings in the way of tequila, pan de muerto (a sweet bread that's beginnings lie in introduction of All Souls Day and it's pan de animas), pulque (also known as agave wine, is an alcoholic fermented drink), and jars of Atole (beverage made of corn and masa that is served hot and often flavored), while families get together to fill the night with laughing, singing, dancing, games, reminiscing, and music often provided by a band playing in the town.
The roots of DÃa de Los Muertos go back around 3,000 years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The rituals and beliefs that were held by the Aztecs and other Nahua people in honoring their dead, combined with the Spanish-introduced celebration of All Souls Day, is what makes the Day of the Dead what it is today. The Aztecs' rituals were centered around Mictecacihuatl, the goddess that allowed spirits to come back to Earth to visit. You see, the Nahua people believed in a cyclical view of the universe and therefore saw death as an integral part of life. This was so highly believed that they considered mourning the dead to be disrespectful since it was a normal and natural phase of life, and therefore those who had passed on were still a part of the community.
Back in medieval Spain, people would bring wine and the aforementioned pan de animas to their loved ones graves. These would be decorated with flowers and candles in order to light the way for the soul's of their loved ones back to the living world. Nowadays, the ofrendas are decorated in the same ways, with a special focus on these bright marigolds that are called "Cempasuchil" that are said to lead the spirits back with their wonderful aroma. They are also a place to leave their loved ones' favorite food, drink, toys, and other offerings in lieu of putting them at their grave. I would think you could also do both? Don't quote me on that though.
In 1910, Jose Guadalupe Posada created the biggest, most recognizable symbol of DÃa de Los Muertos...and it was definitely unintentional. He was trying to make a statement piece about how the Mexicans were choosing to adopt European fashion over their own heritage and traditions by painting "La Calavera Catrina" or "The Elegant Skull." The painting centers on a woman's skeleton that's adorned with makeup and wearing fancy clothes of non-Mexican origins. Unfortunately for him, the Mexicans embraced the image and now it is common to see the sugar skull visage and theming throughout the country and the world when referring to the Day of the Dead. Whoops.
UNESCO decided, in 2008, that it would add this celebration to it's list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." This was a huge win in recognition of this celebration and its roots throughout the world and continues to only grow in celebration around the globe. So to those who celebrate, enjoy the day and this celebration of your loved ones!
Sources:
Photo by Arturo Ochoa on Unsplash