Lifestyle

El Dia de Los Muertos Traditions and Celebrations

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Tony Maples Photography

 

El Dia de Los Muertos-Day of the Dead is a longstanding tradition celebrated over 2 days each November 1st and November 2nd.  “It is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular, the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States,” states Wikipedia.org. In Mexico, it is considered a public holiday. The celebration is a staple of festivities and traditions to remember loved ones who have passed on.

To honor loved ones, families build altars or ofrendas filled with photos, traditional sugar skulls, and marigold flowers adorning the display, shares Wikipedia. It is not uncommon for many to visit the gravesites of loved ones also to leave a favorite dish and beverage and even a personal item of the deceased. Cemeteries become a night of celebration full of life each afternoon of November 2nd.

1. Origins

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Photo: Pixabay

According to Wikipedia, “The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico developed from ancient traditions among its pre-Columbian cultures. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years. The festivities were dedicated to the goddess known as the ‘Lady of the Dead’, corresponding to the modern La Calavera Catrina.”

On October 31st altars are made for the “angelitos,” the children who have passed on so that they will be welcomed back to visit on November 1st, All Saints Day or Dia de Los Inocentes. Then on November 2nd, Day of the Dead, or All Souls Day, the adults are welcomed back to join the festivities and celebrations prepared in their honor.

2. Traditions

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Photo: Pixabay

These special days are a time to celebrate them with traditions, each of which has a unique story such as the use of sugar skulls or Calavera. Typically made of cane sugar, but can also be found made of other material. “Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments,” as shared by Mexicansugarskull.com.

The traditional flower used in altars and taken to the graves is the orange Mexican marigold. “In modern Mexico, the marigold is sometimes called Flor de Muerto (Flower of Dead). These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings,” states Wikipedia.

Pan de Muerto or bread of the dead is a traditional sweet bread made in honor of El Dia de los Muertos. It’s round in shape and baked with bone shaped decorations layered in a circle to represent the circle of life as shared by Wikipedia. It’s eaten along with the deceased’s favorite dish.

Probably the most important of all the traditions is the building of an altar in honor of loved ones passed.  With each altar representing the essence of the departed, no one is the same. From fruit, to memorabilia and photos, favorite dishes, flowers and candles, it’s a colorful display of love and honor for the souls gone before us “The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them,” states Wikipedia.

3. Celebrations

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Photo: Pixabay

El Dia de Los Muertos has become a grand celebration of life not only held in homes and at cemeteries but in communities all over. Parades and festivals can be found in your neighborhood with folks adorning traditional costumes with painted faces or a skull shaped mask. “José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure he called La Calavera Catrina (“The Elegant Skull”) as a parody of a Mexican upper-class female. Posada’s striking image of a costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of the Dead, and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of the Dead observances,” states Wikipedia.

Festivals are a wonderful way to remember the memory of loved ones through art displays, films, music, and contests. Be sure to visit everfest.com for a list of celebrations across Texas and beyond for El Dia de Los Muertos celebrations.

And if you’re looking for a fun movie to watch with the family which touches on the topic of El Dia de Los Muertos make sure to catch “The Book of Life” from producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez.