** holiday and celebration attire -- Mexico Día de los Muertos holiday and celebration attire -- Mexico Día de los Muertos








Mexican Celebrations: Día de los Muertos (November 1-2)


Figure 1.- This Hugo Brehme photograph shows Mexican children in of all,places a grave yard. Grave yards seem to have a different image in Mexico than in the United States. Notice the bones. This is reflected in the Dia de los Muertos, a joyuous celebration unlike any comparable celebration in the United States.

Mexico and other Latin American countries on the first and second of November celebrate the Days of the Dead---El Dia de los Muertos. This is not really Haloween, but there are enough similarities that we thought we should mntion ot here. The celebration seems especially impotyant in Mexico. In some regions, the evening of October 31, is the beginning of the Day of the Dead Children, which is followed on November 1 by the Day of the Dead Adults. Skeleton figures-candy (sugar skulls), toys, statues and decorations-are seen everywhere. It is a time for great festivity, with traditional plays and food. It is a time to play with death and decorating family graves, which is preceded by religious services and followed by picnics. The human skeleton or skull is the primary symbol of the day. Unlike the American Halloween, in Mexico people build home altars, adorned with religious icons and special breads and other food for the dead. The Day of the Dead incorporates recognition of death as a concept with rituals that remember the deaths of individuals.

Date

Mexico and other Latin American countries on November 1-2 celebrate the Days of the Dead---El Dia de los Muertos. In some regions, the evening of October 31, is the beginning of the Day of the Dead Children. Children remembered in this day are referred to as Angelitos. This is followed on November 1 by the Day of the Dead Adults.

Halloween

Día de los Muertos is not Haloween, but there are some similarities.

Countries

Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Latin America. The celebration, however, seems especially important in Mexico. We suspected it is impart related to arangevof medrr-Indian traditions, ikncluding ancestiot wprship amf human sacrifice. This was especially imprtant to the Aztec people who were centered in modern Mexico City. Of course the Ztecs sre just one of the contemortary and hustoric Meso-American perople.

Origins

I am unsure about the origins of the holiday. Certainly it must be primarily based on the Catholic holiday All Souls Day/Saints Dy which is celebrated November 1. The celebration in different countries, however, has taken on its own unique character affected by local traditions and customs. Surely the Aztecs must have had some impact. Mexicans have the attitude that death is a part of life and should not be feared.

Items

The human skeleton or skull is the primary symbol of the day. Skeleton figures-candy (sugar skulls), toys, statues and decorations-are seen everywhere. It is a time for great festivity, with traditional plays and food. The most important food is probably pan de muerto which is made to look like either skulls or skeletons. Marigolds are a flower associated withbthevholiday, althoughnI am not quite sure why.

Celebrations

The Day of the Dead incorporates recognition of death as a concept with rituals that remember the deaths of individuals. It is a time to play with death and decorating family graves, which is preceded by religious services and followed by picnics. Unlike the American Halloween, in Mexico people build home altars, adorned with religious icons and special breads and other food for family members who have passed away. Often a favorite food of a family member is included to remember them. Some children dress up in costumes and ask for candy. These seems to be most common in Mexico and especially Mexican-Americans influenced by American Halloween.






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Created: 3:16 AM 11/4/2006
Last updated: 2:44 AM 3/2/2022