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EI Dia de los Muertos in Holiday Travel Directory

 

El Dia de los Muertos the Day of the Dead, a Mexican celebration, is a day to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have departed. On this day in Mexico, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of papel picado , flowers, candy calaveras skeletons and skulls, and parades. It is believed that the spirit of the dead visit their families on October 31 and leave on November 2. In order to celebrate, the families make altars and place ofrendas offerings of food such as pan de muertos baked in shapes of skulls and figures, candles, incense, yellow marigolds known as cempazuchitl also spelled zempasuchil and most importantly a photo of the departed soul is placed on the altar. It might sound somewhat morbid, but the Mexicans react to death with mourning along with happiness and joy. They look at death with the same fear as any other culture, but there is a difference. They reflect their fear by mocking and living alongside death. Living alongside death means that Mexicans have to learned to accept it within their lives. Death is apparent in everyday life. It is in art and even in childrens toys. It is not respected as it is in other cultures. Children play funeral with toys tht are made to represent coffins and undertakers. Death is laughed at in its face. Many euphemisms are used for death, La calaca the skeleton, la pelona baldy, la flaca skinny, and la huesada bony. There are refranes, sayings, and poems that are popular with day of the dead. These sayings are cliches and lose meaning when translated. For example La muerte es flaca y no puede conmigo means Death is skinnyweak and she cant carry me. Calaveras skulls are decorated with bright colors with the name of the departed inscribed on the head. Children carrying yellow marigolds enjoy the processions to the cemetery. At the cemetery, music is played and dances are made to honor the spirits.

 

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