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What is Día de los Muertos?

Día de los Muertos celebration in Mexico

Día de los Muertos is a time when Mexican families gather to celebrate and remember deceased family members, friends, and other loved ones. This tradition has its roots in ancient Aztec custom - prior to Spanish colonisation, the Aztecs paid respect to their dead with rituals and celebrations at the time of the harvest, viewed as a time of renewed life and the beginning of the cycle of seasons. This was later infused with Catholic traditions introduced from Europe, giving rise to the unique cultural and religious celebration we today know as the Day of the Dead.

What happens during Día de los Muertos?

While Día de los Muertos itself is on November 2, the festivities and ceremonies begin on October 31, when deceased children, or los angelitos, are remembered. November 1 is the day of remembering adults, and all spirits are believed to depart Earth on November 2, completing the celebration.

Music is played both at home and in Mexico's many public cemeteries, and families visit the graves of their relatives to spend time with their loved ones, both dead and alive. Celebrations are accompanied by elaborate dress and makeup to mark this traditional celebration, including masks in the likeness of calaveras (skulls). One of the most well-known traditions associated with Día de los Muertos is that of making ofrendas - altars or offerings to deceased love ones, a fascinating mixture of Catholic and Aztec traditions. The ofrenda is one of the key pillars of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico, and though their exact composition varies greatly depending on region, town, and the means available to each family, great effort and care is always involved. Many types of offering are laid at the ofrenda, ranging from traditional food and flowers to incense, toys, clothes and traditional iconography.

An ofrenda

Pan de muerto and other traditional dishes!

Pan de muerto

Pan de muerto, or bread for the dead, is the most iconic of the Mexican foods associated with Día de los Muertos. It is a sweet bread often shaped with knobs that represent bones and skulls, in line with the other traditions of Día de los Muertos. Less well-known dishes cooked on this occasion include chicken in red or black mole; tortillas made of ground maize; and tequila. All these foods and drinks are thought to nourish souls as they begin their journey from the physical realm to the spiritual.

The Cempasúchil flower and its significance

The cempasúchil flower

The beautiful Cempasúchil flower, or marigold in English, features prominently in Day of the Dead celebrations. It was employed frequently by the Aztecs in ceremonies as a symbol of death - once the flower's stem is cut, it dies very quickly. It is also often associated with a transition from the physical to the supernatural, which is fitting for this iconic Mexican celebration.

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By Sasha
September 28, 2022