Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos all you need to know: Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos in English, is a long-standing custom in Mexico with roots dating back thousands of years.

You’ve undoubtedly seen the signs that are typically connected to the festival in the US: marigold flowers, calaveras (skulls), and papel picado, bright paper with cutouts. The first scene of “Spectre” and the film “Coco” both make significant references to the holiday.

Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life after death and a day set aside to pay respect to the deceased.

Day of the Dead is more about honoring loved ones who have passed away than it is about warding off evil spirits, unlike Halloween, which was originally observed on this day.

What else you need know about this momentous day is provided here.

When is Day of the Dead?

Every year on November 1st, Day of the Dead comes to a close on November 2nd. It is thought that the deceased’s spirits go back to their homes on those days to spend time with their loved ones.

Who celebrates Day of the Dead?

While most people connect Day of the Dead with Mexico, other nations—even those outside of Latin America—also observe the occasion in different ways.

The first two days of November are also dedicated to celebrating the holiday known as Undas in the Philippines. Filipinos visit the graves of their loved ones and make altars to the deceased, just like Mexicans do.

The day is known as Fèt Gede, or the festival of the dead, in Haiti. Parades are held all around the nation, and people dress in purple, black, and white.

 

How did the Day of the Dead come to be?

The customs of Native Americans, particularly the Aztecs, are the source of Day of the Dead. Miccaihuitl was a time of honoring the dead that was part of an Aztec ceremony.

However, Catholicism, which was brought to the Americas by the Spanish, had its own holidays: All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2), which also honored the deceased.

Día de los Muertos is the result of the Spanish combining Indigenous customs with their own festivals.

What customs surround the Day of the Dead?

Many pay respects to departed family members and loved ones by going to their graves on Day of the Dead.

However, people either clean the graves and headstones or adorn them with flowers rather than necessarily going to grieve. While some would play music, others could pray.

The setting, complete with food, drink, and music, is almost party-like. Individuals get together to tell stories about their departed loved ones, which keeps their memories alive.

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Several Mexican cities commemorate the day with festivals and parades. Many will wear costumes and paint their faces to resemble bare skulls.

Particularly women would dress up as La Catrina, a tall female skeleton who is sometimes portrayed donning an elaborate gown and a voluminous headpiece that flares over  head.

While figures such as La Catrina have come to represent Día de los Muertos, the iconography comes from the 1910 sketches of Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada, who was making fun of the country’s upper classes.

 

What are ofrendas?

The altars, or ofrendas, are among the most revered elements of Day of the Dead celebrations. To memorialize the departed, these altars are erected in residences, educational institutions, and other public spaces.

A sizable picture of the departed loved one will be placed atop the altar by family members, accompanied with vibrant papel picado, or “perforated paper.”

Since the altars are supposed to depict the four elements, the colored tissue papers stand in for air. Throughout the altars, marigold petals are also present. Their vivid hue and strong aroma are supposed to direct the spirits back home.

On the ofrendas, candles are also frequently seen serving as a symbol of the deceased and lighting the way. Pan de muerto is a classic Mexican pan dulce with Aztec roots.

Sugar skulls, another popular decoration for ofrendas, are supposed to suggest the omnipresence of death.

The purpose of the salt, which is usually arranged in the form of a cross, is to cleanse the spirits of those who are visiting the ofrenda.

Families also set out a jug of water, and occasionally tequila, on the altars so that travelers’ souls might refresh themselves after their voyage.

However, personal altars are also possible. Some families will bring mementos from the deceased’s life, such as a favorite garment or book, or their favorite cuisine. All of it honors the deceased in their return and acts as a means of remembering them.

Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos all you need to know

 

FAQs

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What is the Day of the Dead celebrated for?” answer-0=”Every year on this day, it is believed that the barrier separating the afterlife from the physical world falls away, enabling departed loved ones to rejoin their family. Indigenous origins of Día de los Muertos can be traced back over 3,000 years, to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures such as the Nahua, Aztec, and Mayan. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What religion does Day of the Dead come from?” answer-1=”Dia de los Muertos is a synthesis of pre-Columbian religious tradition (Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, etc.) and Iberian feast day observance, which is itself a complicated blend of Christian and “pagan” customs. The celebration is as intricate as Mexican culture itself. ” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”What is Day of the Dead history?” answer-2=”The origins of El Dia de los Muertos can be traced to the Aztecs, who celebrated the dead for a full month, rather than just a few days. Mictecacihuatl, the goddess, oversaw the festivities. Skeletons, altars, and other deathly accoutrements are part of the yearly ritual, but the ancient celebration embraces death to celebrate life. ” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”true” css_class=””]