Dia de los Muertos

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Dia de los Muertos

• A Celebration of Life

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What is the Day of the Dead?

• The Day of the Dead is a joyous celebration
  unique to Mexico. It combines Christian and
  Pre-Hispanic religious beliefs and traditions.
  Each family builds a shrine to honor and pay
  loving tribute to departed family members. Dia
  de los Muertos concentrates on the continuity of
  life and the devotion of family.

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• This day of remembrance is both a cultural and
  religious event. It is the most important
  holiday in Mexico. The way in which it is
  celebrated differs from region to region due to
  the differences that have been passed down since
  ancient times in each region. So if you were to
  see a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City,
  for example, it would differ greatly from the way
  people would be celebrating it in Cuilapan,
  Oaxaca, an ancient capital of the Zapotec people.

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City vs. Country

• The more urban the setting the less religious and
  cultural the festivities will be within Mexico.
  The more rural and Indian the locality the more
  likely the religious and economic aspects will
  play a main role in the celebration . Also, the
  greater likelihood that the Day of the Dead will
  be seen as a social event in southern Mexico
  rather than in the northern part of the country.

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When is Dia de los Muertos?

• The Day of the Dead is celebrated from October
  31st through November 2nd. These dates correspond
  with All Saints Day and All Souls Day,
  traditional Catholic celebrations. But Dia de los
  Muertos is NOT in any way to be considered as
  Mexicos form of our Halloween. It is, in fact,
  much closer to our celebration of Memorial Day.
  Neither is it the only holiday around the world
  set aside as a day of remembrance. In other
  countries and cultures, there are similar
  holidays which pay tribute to the dead.

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Canada

• On November 11th each year, Canadians celebrate
  Remembrance Day by wearing red poppies. They
  gather at memorial sites to honor those who died
  in war. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
  11th month, the time the Armistice of World War I
  was signed in 1918, Canadians observe two minutes
  of silence as a way of remembering the dead.

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Yom HaShoa

• This is a Jewish day of remembrance celebrated by
  Jews worldwide to honor the six million Jews who
  died in the Holocaust in World War II.

People here are attending the remembrance
ceremony at Israel's Holocaust memorial in
Jerusalem to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance
Day in April. Some of the people shown here are
Holocaust survivors.
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How is the Day of the Dead celebrated?

• In every home, families set up an altar (ofrenda)
  that is dedicated to their departed loved ones.
  The offerings that are placed on the altar
  symbolize the four elements
• Earth
• Wind
• Water
• Fire.

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Earth

• Mexicans symbolize the earth with crops because
  they believe that the souls of the dead are fed
  by the scent of food.

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Wind

• A moving object is used to symbolize wind. Often
  tissue paper is strung over and around the altar
  in streamers to represent the wind.

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Water

• A pitcher filled with water is placed on the
  altar so the dead can quench their thirst.

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Fire

• Mexicans light candles to stand for the souls of
  their departed. Each lit candle represents one
  soul and an extra one is lit for any soul who may
  have been forgotten.

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What else goes on the altar?

• Families may put purple or white candles which
  symbolize mourning, calaveritas (skulls made out
  of sugar) labeled with the name of the dead
  person, and some of his or her favorite food and
  drinks like beer or tequila, cups of atole (corn
  gruel), coffee, or water on the ofrenda. The
  food may include large trays of rice, beans,
  chicken or other meat, candied pumpkin or sweet
  potatoes and pan de muerto, sugary sweet rolls
  baked especially for the holiday.
• If the deceased was a smoker, a pack of
  cigarettes is placed on the altar, and for
  children, a scattering of toys and extra sweets
  are traditional.
• Altars are set up on tables with overturned
  crates to create a tiered effect, then covered
  with tablecloths. All the offerings are set out
  in an artistic and symmetrical fashion to create
  a beautiful display.

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Angelitos

• The lowest tier of the altar is used to display
  things for children who have died (angelitos). It
  is believed that the souls of the children return
  first so food and gifts appropriate for their age
  and taste are set out for them where it is
  easiest for them to reach. Everything is in
  miniature cups, plates, small breads, etc.

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• Legend has it that if you take something from the
  ofrenda, a ghost will come in the middle of the
  night and pull your toes!

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Adults

• Deceased adults return on Nov. 1st and they are
  given the most elaborate foods and drinks the
  family can afford. Mexicans believe that light
  from burning candles, combined with the scents of
  marigold flowers and copal incense, help
  returning souls find their way back to their
  loved ones. Paths of marigold petals are strewn
  from the cemetery to the door of the house. The
  dead can find their way by following this bright,
  colorful path. The spirits are not usually seen,
  but their presence is said to be felt.

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Todos Santos

• The days between Oct. 31st and Nov. 2nd are
  called "Todos Santos. That is when the
  offerings made up of food and drink are prepared
  for the dead and displayed on the altars. On Nov.
  2nd, families go to the gravesites of their loved
  ones. In some places, an all-night candlelight
  vigil takes place beside the graves. This is a
  festive time and everyone talks of the dead as if
  they were still alive. It is a way for people to
  "remember, re-live, and enjoy."

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On the lighter side

• The Day of the Dead is more than just a day for
  remembering their loved ones. This holiday lets
  families "welcome the souls of their dead." The
  souls are believed to return each year to enjoy
  the pleasures that they once had in life. It also
  gives the living a chance to poke fun at the
  morbid side of death symbolized by the Grim
  Reaper. So skeleton costumes and skulls made of
  sugar are often seen during the celebration.

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At the Cemetery

• The celebration ends with a visit to the family
  plot where displays are made from beautiful,
  creative pieces of popular art found in markets
  and shops all over Mexico. Although customs
  differ from region to region, there will always
  be colorful adornments such as the calaveritas
  all kinds of funny, artsy skeletons delicate
  tissue paper cut-outs (papel picado) tasty
  foods pictures of the departed religious
  ceremonies music and in some areas even noisy
  fireworks.

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• Graves are trimmed with brightly colored wreaths
  and crosses made with flowers which can be fresh
  or artificial. The traditional flower for Dia de
  los Muertos is the marigold because its sunny
  color is a reminder of happy times.

Cempasuchil (yellow marigolds) were the ancient
Aztec flower of death.
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The Days Events

• Families begin their celebration by welcoming
  their dead back into their homes then visiting
  the graves of their close kin. At the cemetery,
  they spruce up the gravesite, decorate it with
  flowers, enjoy a picnic, and socialize with other
  family and neighbors there.

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• The Mexican people tell folktales of dead spirits
  who get revenge on the living if they feel they
  have received poor treatment during Dia de los
  Muertos. Leaving nothing or less than the best
  gifts on the altar can make the spirits angry or
  sad. These superstitions may be the reason so
  many people participate in this holiday
  celebration every year.

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• People believe that the souls of their dead do
  return and are all around them.

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• The families tell stories about the deceased at
  the gravesite. A picnic meal is shared there.
  The foods are delicious with meat dishes in spicy
  sauces, chocolate drinks, cookies, sugary treats
  in a variety of animal or skull shapes, and a
  special egg-batter bread ("pan de muerto," or
  bread of the dead).

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• In every region of the country, it is a time for
  families to come together.

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• So this commemoration of the dead becomes a
  family reunion with joyous celebration between
  the living and the dead. It is an important
  social ritual, a way of recognizing the cycle of
  life and death as the true meaning of human
  existence.

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A Different Point of View

• It may seem strange to us but Mexicans see
  "death" and "festivities" as going hand in hand.
  To us, it may be difficult to grasp the idea, but
  Mexicans react to death with a grief tinged with
  happiness and joy. They view it as a life - death
  - rebirth continuum and it is all quite natural
  to them. The difference in the way Mexicans look
  at death owes to the fact that they accept it as
  an inevitable and inescapable end to life. So
  instead of seeing death as a horrible force
  beyond human comprehension and living in constant
  fear of the day when they, too, will die, they
  take it in good humor.

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• Death is something to be mocked at according to
  the Mexican way of looking at it. La calaca (the
  skeleton), la flaca ("skinny"), la pelona
  ("baldy") and la huesada ("bony") are some of the
  common derogatory adjectives they use for death.
  There are also songs, poems and refrains
  associated with the Day of the Dead.

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Octavio Paz

• Octavio Paz, a famous writer from Mexico said,"
  Mexicans, undaunted by death, have no qualms
  about getting up close and personal with death,
  chasing after it, mocking it, courting it,
  embracing it as their favorite plaything and
  their most lasting love.

What do you think he meant by this?
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Catrina

• Who is Catrina and what does she have to do with
  Dia de los Muertos?

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Jose Guadalupe Posada(1852-1913)

• Jose Posada was a Mexican artist whose artwork
  came to represent the celebration of Day of the
  Dead. In Mexico, people were either very rich or
  very poor. His most famous creation, Catrina,
  represented a wealthy woman dressed in all her
  finery. But Posada was poking fun at the rich
  through Catrina by asking in death, what
  difference will it make if you were rich? After
  all, youre still as dead as if you had been
  poor.

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Variations on Catrina

• Why do you think Mexicans
• might find Posadas art
• appealing?

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Other Posada Works
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What Day of the Dead Isnt

• It is not Mexicos version of our Halloween.
  Started in the year 1800 B.C., Day of the Dead
  began long before Halloween.

It is not intended to be scary or morbid.
Characters like ghosts, witches, or the devil do
not play a part in Day of the Dead traditions.
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Day of the Dead is not a cult and has nothing to
do with cults. It is a Catholic Christian ritual
mixed with folk culture. Attending mass is a
central part of celebrating Day of the Dead.

• Day of the Dead is not a way of honoring death
  it is a way of honoring our dead family members.
  It allows us the chance to reflect upon our
  lives, our heritage, our loved ones and our
  purpose in life.

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Altars or ofrendas are not worshiped but intended
as a way of offering our love and devotion to
departed loved ones.

• Day of the Dead is not a sad time, but rather a
  happy and festive time for remembering loved
  ones. At the cemetery, people grow
  introspective. Why?

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Day of the Dead is about LOVE, not fear.
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Day of the Dead is not to be considered as
strange in any way. After all, we practice
similar traditions like visiting a loved ones
grave, leaving flowers or stuffed animals, or
lighting candles for our lost loved ones.
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• Day of the Dead is not a careless or fearless way
  of looking at death. Instead, it is a time to
  ponder the cycle of life and death, to consider
  ones own life and purpose in life.

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Want to join in on the celebration now? You,
too, can make an ofrenda.

• This ofrenda was created in an elementary school
  art class in Las Vegas.

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Any questions?

• Ask your teacher