|
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.
|
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 for FREE Day of the Dead Cards from Amazon.com
|
