Traditions are passed down from generations to generations and there’s a lot that can be learned
about them. One of the most wonderful traditions that can be talked about is Day of the Dead
(Día de los Muertos).
When did Day of the Dead originate?
This celebration was started by the Aztecs about 3,000 years ago and it was considered a
sacrilegious ritual. This is a Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico in relation with the Catholic
festivities of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. In many Spanish speaking countries the day is
called Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) or by its official name in the Catholic calendar Día
de los Fieles Difuntos.
What is the meaning of Day of the Dead?
As it was mentioned above, Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday were families welcome back
the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration.
This is celebrated every year from October 31- November 2. Like you may know, October 31st is
Halloween, November 1 is “El Día de los Inocentes or known as Day of the Children and All
Saints Day, and November 2 is All Souls Day or Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the
doors of heaven open at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their
families and the same thing happens for the adults on November 2. (www.history.com)
How is Day of the Dead Celebrated?
In Mexico, people go to the cemeteries to be with the souls of their loved ones and build private
altars that contain the favorite food, beverages, photos, and memorabilia of the departed. Also,
the celebrations can take a funny tone because the celebrants remember the funny events and
anecdotes about the departed.
The food on the altars is eaten by both the living people and given to the spirits of the departed
ancestors as “offerings” (ofrendas). Tamales is the common dish prepared for this day. Another
type of popular food for this day is “Pan de Muerto.” This is a type of sweet roll shaped like a
bun and topped with sugar and decorated with bone-shaped pieces of the same pastry.
Calaveras or sugar skulls are also very popular, they display colorful designs that represent the
vitality and the personality of the departed.
Drinks are also of extreme importance, the main drink was pulque, but now families will drink
the favorite beverage of their deceased ancestors. There are also other drinks associated with this
day. Some of the drinks are Atole and Champurrado, warm, thick, non-alcoholic masa drinks.
In conclusion, these tradition is taught by many parents to their children so they can undertstand
the meaning of honoring their loved ones who have departed and to teach future generations that
no matter how far away home is, traditions remain.
*Linkogecko, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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