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The Day of the Dead, or more aptly, the Days of the
Dead in Mexico, are celebrated the day after Halloween, November 1 and
2. All these two holidays have in common is proximity on the calendar
and the sharing of a skeleton or two.
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is not a scary
ghost and goblins running in the night Mexican adaptation. The holiday
is for honoring, celebrating and remembering family that has gone before.
It serves to educate young family members with their ancestors by visiting
grave sites, cleaning and adorning the crypts with flowers and gifts
for the departed. November 1 is usually set aside to honor dead infants
and children, "angelitos" or little angles and November 2 for honoring
those who died as adults.
The celebration goes back to pre-Columbian times. Aztec
cultures celebrated their ancestry in a similar holiday in late July.
Rather than abolish the pagan ritual the Spanish move the holiday to
November 1 and 2 to coincide with All Saints day and All Souls day.
As with many ancient cultures, the pre-Columbia dead were buried along
with possessions that would help them trough the next life. Their remembrance
on that day also served to 're-supply' the departed.
 The
celebration is colorful and somewhat festive. Families visit the crypts
of their loved ones, clean them and place bright bouquets and flowered
wreaths. Special breads are baked call 'pan de muerto' as offerings.
Tiny sweats shaped like coffins and skulls are left behind.
 Tissue
paper cutouts of great intricacy called decorate the grave call
'papel picado'.
 Hand
made skeleton figures called 'calacas' representing
a need of the dead or a bonding with the living are left. They
range from store bought plastic to intricate dioramas of matchsticks
and paper.
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Also read: "Los
Cabos: El Halloween and the Día de Muertos"
Celebrations vary throughout Mexico. Some celebrations
involve groups running through the streets, carrying a 'dead man' in
an open coffin. The dead man smiles and waves at the crowd and they
respond with oranges and little candies. Revelers wear masks of skeletons
and cloaks, bringing to mind the Grim Reaper.
In other celebrations families picnic at the grave sides
and drink toasts the departed of cervesa and tequila.
It all stems from a different relationship with Death
than is common in American culture. Death is a woman, known as la Flaca,
la Huesuda, la Pelona or La Catrina (the Skinny, the Boney, the Baldy
or the Fancy Lady. I never did like the image of being cut down as grain
by the Grim Reaper. The thought that, after a hard life, full of toil,
to be taken home to rest by The Fancy Lady is much more appealing.
Visitors to Mexico seem to have a fascination with this
holiday and every year tourists flock to Mexico to partake in the events.
A large number of well researched websites are devoted solely to this
holiday and
 you
find links to them below.
Click here to send a FREE
Day of the Dead Cards from Amazon.com
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