By: Kimberly Martinez
Day of the dead otherwise known as “Dia de Los Muertos” is a two day celebration dedicated to the deceased. It is celebrated on November 1-2 each year. The day of the dead originates in Mexico and was started by the Aztecs who did not dedicate just a few days to the celebration but a whole month. The celebration is not to be somber about those we lost but rather celebrate their lives and honor their memory.
It is also important to note that “The Day of the Dead” is not “Mexican Halloween.” In fact decorating your house with Halloween decorations and wearing costumes isn’t done in the majority of Mexico; it is usually overshadowed by the celebration of “The Day of the Dead.” Only about 7 percent of Mexicans living in Mexico claim to participate in Halloween in comparison with 84 percent that rather focus on the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
Each one of the two days of celebration is dedicated to the children, the adults, and both. The first day of november starting at 12am is “Dia de los Angelitos” (Spirits of the children). It is believed that the children return to reunite with their families on this day for 24 hours. Their families construct altars for their departed children with their favorite toys, candies, and their photographs. The altars are decorated with beautiful cempazuchi flowers (marigold flowers) and sugar skulls with the child’s name on the forehead of the sugar skull. November second at 12 am is “Dia de los Difuntos” (Spirits of the adults). It is said that on this day starting at this hour is when the adults return to reunite with their families. This time the altars hold offerings of alcohol, pan de muerto, and jars of atole for the adults. Just like the night before the day is full of laughter and fun memories. The last part of the celebration is still on November second but it starts at noon. At this time it is considered “Dia de los Muertos” where the spirits of all the dead return to reunite with their families. Until the very end the families celebrate this holiday together happily. As the movie coco once said,
“The dead are always with us, as long as we keep their memories alive.”
The days of celebrating are full of traditions for Day of the Dead that differ by country. Many people around the world celebrate this holiday and its unique traditions like altars with offerings placed in a home altar created by family members to the deceased decorated with marigold flowers which are believed to be the pathway that guide the spirits to their altars and families. The traditions have grown over the years like street festivals which are more recent. All of these traditions are all influenced by La Catrina like the classic colorful skulls and skeletons used to decorate. She is an important token to Mexico that not only represents the “Day of the Dead” but the Mexican willingness to laugh at death itself.
Going more in depth the clay or sugar skulls are used to represent a departed soul and their name is placed on the forehead of the sugar skull to honor their return. The sugar skulls are made with edible ingredients like basic icing but some decorations you may put on them can be non-edible as the sugar skulls are mainly for decoration purposes but if you do want to try a sugar skull make sure you know its edible before you try it. And of course a big part of this holiday are the altars with offerings used to welcome home the souls of the dead. Some families lead the souls to their altars all the way from their grave to their front door with a path of marigold flowers. The altars are full of different offerings depending on what kind of person the departed was and their favorite things. Originally the altars have the photos of the deceased and three levels representing earth, heaven, and purgatory. The offerings differ from things like tamales, incense burners, salt, a cup of water, a bowl, fruit and vegetables, mole, figurines of the deceased alebrije/spirit animal; it all really depends on the deceased and what they loved during their lifetime. All of these traditions are done to celebrate the dead and honor them not to weep at their memory because as long as we keep them in our hearts they will be with us always.