The famous Day of the Dead Mexico (Dia De Los Muertos) is a two-day holiday that officially takes place on November 2, with the aim of bringing the living and the dead together.
Families create offerings (Offerings) to honor their deceased family members who have passed away.
These altars are decorated with yellow marigold flowers, photos of the deceased, food and favorite drinks of the one being honored.
Offerings with belongings of the dead are believed to facilitate their visits on earth, with much more animation, as the deceased souls listen to their music, smell their food and join in the celebrations!
Definitely, the Day of the Dead is a rare holiday to celebrate death and life. It is completely different from any other holiday where mourning is exchanged for celebration, festivities and lots and lots of color.
Find out now, everything that goes on in the celebration that became a UNESCO cultural heritage, and who knows, book your tickets for November 2nd, because it will definitely be worth it! !
Day of the Dead Mexico: What Origin of the Celebration
The history of the celebration of the Day of the Dead in Mexico is of indigenous origin and has existed since the time of the Aztecs and the Mayans, for more than three thousand years in rituals that honor the deaths of the Aztecs, Nahuas, Toltecs and other peoples who lived in central Mexico.
For these people, mourning the dead was disrespectful, as death was considered an integral part of the cycle of life and the deceased as members of the community. Originally, this festival was celebrated in August .
After the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 16th century, the development of these festivities eventually moved to join with the Western Christian feasts of All Saints' Day and the Commemoration of the Faithful Deceased. which take place in late October and early November. During the 20th century, most regions of Mexico chose November 1st as the "Día de los Angelitos" to honor deceased children and infants and November 2nd as the "Día de los Muertos" to honor all the deceased.
When is the Day of the Mexican Ritual
The date varies a lot according to the regions of Mexico, but as usual the celebrations take place as follows:
- November 1st at 12 pm Celebration of the Children's Spirits or Los Angelitos Day
- November 2 at 12 pm Celebration of the Spirits of Adults or Dia de Los Difuntos
- November 2 at 11:59 pm Celebration of the Spirits of All the Dead or Dia de los Muertos
On Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels) the ceremony begins on the holiday at midnight on November 1st, where the spirits of all deceased children are believed to be reunited with their families for 24 hours .
Families build a beautiful altar, known as Ofrenda, with the deceased child's favorite foods, toys and photographs to encourage a visit from their deceased children. The names of deceased children will often be written in Calaveras de Açucar.
At midnight the next day (November 2), the celebrations change to honor the lives of departed adults. The night is filled with tequila and fun memories, just like the night before. However, Ofrendas takes on an adult theme with alcoholic beverages, pan de Muerto, Mezcal, pulque, and jars of Atole.
The last day is the grand finale and public celebration of Dia de Muertos In more recent times, people gather in their cities, dressed in painted Calavera faces (Skeletons) and make street parades. Cemetery visits are also common on the last day, as families will decorate the graves with flowers, gifts and sugar skulls with the name of the deceased. It is customary to clean the headstone and restore the color.
How is Dia de los Muertos Celebrated in Mexico Today?
During contemporary Day of the Dead festivities, people commonly wear cranial masks, and visit the graves of their loved ones or erect ofrendas in their homes.
The tombs are decorated with various offerings: orange flowers (known in Mexico as the «flower of the dead»), «pan de muerto» (the «bread of the dead», a sweet bread decorated with shaped like skulls and skeletons), candied pumpkin and sugar skulls.
The pan de Ánimas of All Souls Day rituals in Spain is reflected in the pan de Muerto, the traditional sweet baked well of Day of the Dead celebrations today.
Watch the Celebration Video:
Altar de Muertos
The centerpiece of the Dia de Muertos celebration is an altar, or Ofrenda, built in private homes and cemeteries. These are not altars for worship; rather, they are meant to welcome the spirits back to the realm of the living.
As such, they are loaded with offerings of water to quench their thirst after the long journey, food, family photos, and a candle for each dead relative. If one of the spirits is a child, you can find small toys on the altar.
Marigolds are the main flowers used to decorate the altar. Scattered from altar to tomb, marigold petals guide wandering souls back to their resting place. The smoke of Copal incense, made from tree resin, conveys praise and prayers and purifies the area around the altar.
The Mexican Altars are divided into seven parts:
- Arch: it is common to make an arch decorated with flowers. The arch represents the passage between life and death.
- The base: usually a base is placed that supports the altar and its levels
- Photo of the Person to whom the altar is dedicated on the upper level of the altar in the center.
- Glass of Water: Water is a source of life and represents purity. Quenches the thirst of the spirits.
- Candles: Candles represent light, faith and hope. The flame guides the spirits on their journey.
- Flowers in vases or petals: to spread on the altar.
- Fruit, bread and food: Seasonal fruits and special bread called pan de Muertos are usually placed on the altar with other foods that the person enjoyed in life.
Sugar Skulls
The Sugar Calaveras appeared in prehistoric times, when the skull (in fact) was a predominant figure in Mesoamerican societies and cultures in various aspects and representations.
One such depiction was the Tzompantli, a wooden rack on which the skulls of prisoners of war or human sacrifices were displayed. These civilizations believed in a spiritual life after death, and so these skulls were an offering to the god of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, who would guarantee safe passage to the land he ruled.
Adopted by the Mexican culture and who kept the skulls of their relatives, over time they began to introduce sugar skulls, as they could be eaten later
Sugar skulls are prepared with a dough made up of sugar, lemon, hot water and other ingredients that is pressed into skull-shaped molds, which are then painted and decorated. In fact, skulls are the central theme of the Day of the Dead: people wear them in masks and eat skull-shaped chocolates or candies.
The Mexican Skull: Symbol of the Day of the Dead
The meaning of the Mexican Skull on the Day of the Dead, is the memory of the life you led, and the people you captivated. The colored skull symbol is to remember with happiness and joy the loved ones who were once physically on earth, and that we are all equal in the face of death. That's why many colors and flowers are used, to give joy and convey peace, that death is just a passage, and that if we do good on earth, we will find eternal paradise.
Catrina Mexicana
The famous skeleton in the form of a woman with a hat, was brought to life in the early 1900s by the artist José Guadalupe Posada. Posada was a controversial and political cartoonist who was liked by the people and who drew and etched skeletons (calaveras) in a satirical way to remind people that they would all end up dead in the end. It is said that he designed the elegant female skeleton with a feathered hat because some Mexicans had aspirations to look rich and aristocratic like Europeans at the time.
La Catrina is about living your true self and not pretending to be someone you are not. No matter what you look like and where you come from you will end up a skeleton in the end with everyone else!
Day of the Dead Today: 6 Facts and Trivia
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) Not the same as Halloween
While Halloween is celebrated October. 31, Día de los Muertos is celebrated shortly after, in November. 2. Many communities that celebrate Día de los Muertos also celebrate Halloween, but don't confuse, because they are two very different things.
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Ofrenda is a central component
Ofrenda is often the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them with what they need on their journey. They place pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives.
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Marigolds are a key component
The Cempasuchil flower, also known as the Mexican marigold, is a bright orange flower that grows around Mexico during autumn.It has become an important symbol of the Day of the Dead. The reason is that it is because of the exceptionally strong smell of the flower.
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Different traditions exist in different parts of the country
Mexico is a very large and diverse country and, as such, it is not a homogeneous place. Thus, Day of the Dead celebrations tend to vary from place to place. It is not uncommon for different cities to have their own unique traditions. Mixquic, on the outskirts of Mexico City, decorates the city with paper chains and stars to guide the spirits, while in Patzcuaro, Michoacán, people travel to the cemetery by riding candlelit boats across the lake at night. On the Yucatan Peninsula, it is customary to have a holiday meal in which the main course is Pib, a corn-based casserole.
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It is not only celebrated in Mexico
Believe it or not, Mexicans aren't the only ones celebrating the Day of the Dead. It's a holiday widely celebrated around the world. In fact, many religious communities celebrate All Souls' Day (also known as All Saints' Day) during the same time as the Day of the Dead. The act of honoring the dead is widely celebrated around the world, but the Day of the Dead is unique in its traditions: the Ofrenda, the meaning of life and death, the use of Calaveras, the style influenced by La Catrina, and more. recently, the street parties.
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The Day of the Dead isn't gloomy, it's a celebration
While many expected the Day of the Dead to be a solemn day of remembrance, it is actually a joyous occasion, signifying a celebration of life.Instead of everything being dark and gloomy, as is commonly associated with mourning rituals, the holiday is bright and colorful, with decorations filling almost every home and public space in the country. It is common to have celebratory meals with the family, as well as street parties with music and dancing. In many cities, there are commemorative processions involving masks, puppets and colorful costumes.
World Heritage Site at UNESCO
UNESCO proclaimed the "Indigenous Festival dedicated to the Dead", or celebration of Día de Muertos, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2003 and this proclamation was inscribed in 2008.
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