Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead — celebration of life and death. Xfrom this holiday originated in Mexico, today it is celebrated throughout Latin America with colorful calaveras (skulls) and calacas (skeletons). The ceremonies are replete with symbolic rituals and lavish processions.
Day of the Dead — This is not the Mexican version of Halloween. Although these two annual holidays are related, they differ greatly in tradition and spirit. While Halloween — A dark night of terror and mischief, Day of the Dead celebrations unfold against a backdrop of explosions of color and life-affirming joy. The main theme is the same — death, but the essence of the Day of the Dead is different — demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members. In cities across Mexico, residents wear fancy makeup and skeleton costumes, hold parades and parties, sing, dance and make offerings to departed loved ones. They don't mourn, they enjoy life.
In 2008, UNESCO recognized the significance of Mexico's Day of the Dead by adding the holiday to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Today, Day of the Dead is celebrated by Mexicans of all religious and ethnic groups, but in essence it is considered confirmation that the descendants of indigenous peoples live among us.
Story
The celebration of the Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago among the Aztecs, Toltecs and other Nahua peoples, who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For these pre-Hispanic cultures, death was just a natural phase of a long life cycle. The dead continued to be considered members of the community, memories of them were kept in memory, during the Day of the Dead the dead temporarily returned to earth, and their lives continued.
Today's Día de los Muertos — it is a mixture of pre-Hispanic religious rites and Christian holidays. It is usually celebrated for two days, November 1st and 2nd — on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the Catholic calendar, in other words around the time of the fall corn harvest. However, the holiday is not limited to just these two days. Families in communities begin to meet and honor deceased relatives even before public events begin, and in some regions celebrations may continue on other days, until the end of November.
When the souls of the dead come
On what days do the souls of the dead come to earth? It is believed that this occurs at noon.
October 27: on this day, pets return from the afterlife, for this reason water and some food are usually placed in one of the corners of the house.
28 October: the souls of those who died suddenly, as a result of an accident or by force return. On this day, lonely souls also come. A candlestick with a candle and a white flower are placed for them.
29 October: day dedicated to drowned people.
30 October: A single candle and a glass of water are placed for forgotten souls or those who have no family.
31 October: day of remembrance of children, but only the unborn or unbaptized.
November 1: on this day we remember everyone who died or died in childhood.
November 2: day of remembrance of all adults, grandparents or great-grandparents and, in general, all ancestors. This is a traditional day to visit the cemetery. In addition, on this day, the souls of all the dead begin to return to the afterlife.
Altar
The central element of the holiday is the altar, or ofrenda. Altars are placed in homes, cemeteries and everywhere else. These are not altars for worship. Rather, they are intended to welcome the spirits back into the realm of the living. The altars are filled with offerings — water to quench the thirst of souls after a long journey, food to quench hunger, memorable family photographs and a candle for each deceased relative. If a child is being remembered, there will definitely be small toys on the altar. Marigolds — basic flowers used to decorate the altar. Calendula petals scattered from the altar to the grave guide wandering souls to their resting place. The smoke from incense, made from the tree resin of the sacred copal tree, conveys praise and prayers and cleanses the area around the altar.
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Calavera
Calavera means «skull». In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the term «calavera» used for short humorous poems, which were sarcastic epitaphs carved on gravestones and ridiculing the living. Usually such epitaphs were taken from newspapers of that time. Literary calaveras eventually became a popular part of Day of the Dead celebrations. You'll find these smart, biting poems in print, hear them from others, or see them on television.
Katrina
In the early 20th century, Mexican political caricature traveler and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada created an etching to accompany the literary calavera. Posada dressed up as his personification of death — skeleton — into fancy French clothes and called it Calavera Garbancera. In this way, he ridiculed Mexican society, which imitates European sophistication. «Todos somos calaveras» — quote usually attributed to Posada, — means «all of us— skeletons». Hidden behind all our artificial attributes is one thing: we are all the same.
In 1947, artist Diego Rivera presented Posada's skeleton in his masterpiece mural, A Dream of a Sunday in Alameda Park. The skeleton was wearing a large woman's hat, and Rivera named the female figure Katrina, which was slang for "rich." Today, the calavera Catrina, or elegant skull, is considered the most famous symbol of the Day of the Dead.
Food of the dead
Traveling from the afterlife back to the world of the living, souls must quench their hunger and thirst. At least that's what is commonly believed in Mexico. Families place deceased loved ones' favorite foods or symbolic offerings on the altar. The latter have become the most common over the years, and can be purchased in advance at any grocery store.
Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead — a typical sweet bread (pan dulce), often containing anise seeds and decorated with bones and skulls made from dough. The bones can be arranged live in a circle, as if in the circle of life. Tiny teardrops made from dough symbolize sadness.
Sugar skulls — part of the sugar art tradition brought by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. Pressed into shapes and decorated with edible flowers, they come in all sizes, colors and levels of complexity. Some of them — real works of art.
Mandatory attributes of the altar for the Day of the Dead — traditional drinks. For example, pulque — a sweet fermented drink made from agave juice, atole — liquid warm gruel made from corn flour with the addition of unrefined cane sugar, cinnamon and vanor. It is also customary to offer hot chocolate to the souls of the departed.
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Suits
Day of the Dead — This is an extremely popular holiday. Celebrations take place in the streets and squares at any time of the day or night. Dress up in skeleton costumes — just part of the fun. The faces of people of all ages are artfully painted to resemble skulls. Imitating Calavera Catrina, participants in parades and parties wear costumes and fancy dresses. Many people wear shells or other objects to create noise — this should increase the excitement, and in addition wake the dead and keep them close at all times during the fun.
Cut paper
You've probably seen these beautiful paper crafts many times in Mexican restaurants and at public events, not just on the Day of the Dead. Literal translation of Papel picado — «perforated paper» — describes perfectly how it is done. Craftsmen fold colored tissue paper into dozens of layers and then perforate the layers using a hammer and a punch. Papel picado is not only used during the Day of the Dead, but plays an important role in the holiday. Decorating altars and streets, this art represents the wind and the fragility of life.
Day of the Dead today
Thanks to UNESCO recognition, the Day of the Dead is gaining popularity not only in Mexico, but increasingly abroad. If you find yourself in Mexico City these days, be sure to watch the grand parade on the central avenue. However, celebrations take place throughout the city. Countless communities celebrate Day of the Dead throughout Mexico, but styles and customs vary based on the region and the pre-Hispanic culture that predominates here. There are several places that stand out for their colorful and touching celebrations.
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One of the most colorful Day of the Dead celebrations takes place each year in Pátzcuaro, a municipality in the state of Michoacán, about 360 kilometers west of Mexico City. The indigenous people of the countryside gather on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro, where they sit in canoes decorated with lit candles and sail to a tiny island called Janizio to hold a night vigil in the cemetery of their ancestors.
Mixquic. In this Mexico City suburb, the bells of an ancient Augustinian monastery ring as community members carry candles and flowers to the local cemetery, where they clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones.
The small town of Tuxtepec in northeastern Oaxaca is famous for its sawdust carpets. Over the course of several days, local residents diligently lay colored sawdust, flower petals, rice, pine needles and other organic materials in intricate, carpet-like patterns on city streets. Tuxtepec sawdust carpets, traditionally created for important processions, are judged in a competition during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
The city of Aguascalientes is located approximately 225 kilometers north of Guadalajara. This is the birthplace of the engraver José Guadalupe Posada, «inventor» image of Katrina. Residents of the local community extend Day of the Dead celebrations by almost a week during the Calaveras (Skull Festival). The festival ends with a grand parade of skulls on Avenida Madero.