decease is different inMexico . mention the ancient Aztecs and other pre - Hispanic civilizations , where death was n’t mourned , but seen as a natural continuation of life . Thousands of yr later , the darling nightfall holiday known asDía de los Muertosor Day of the Dead still enchant this unambiguously Mexican worldview , in which the dead come home once a year to visit , and the keep dress up as high - class skeletons to wink in the typeface of death .
1. Day of the Dead Isn’t ‘Mexican Halloween’
Although they ’re celebrated at the same prison term of year and share an affinity for skulls and sweets , the origins ofHalloweenand Day of the Dead are completely different .
Halloween started as apre - Christian Celtic festival call Samhain . The Celts believe that the embryonic membrane between the living and stagnant grew sparse around the gloaming harvest time — also the Celtic New Year — countenance ghosts and ghouls to splay in . The Celt dressed up as monster and goblins to scare off malign spirits and have a short fun in the process .
When St. Patrickbrought Christianity to Irelandin the fifth century , the Church incorporated some of the pagan traditions ofSamhaininto All Hallows ' Eve , remark Oct. 31 . The New vacation of Halloween was popularized in America by Irish immigrant .
Meanwhile , a version of Day of the Dead live in pre - Hispanic Mexico as far back as 3,000 years ago ( more on that in a arcminute ) . When the Spanish conquistador arrived , they bring priests who converted the indigenous multitude by the sword . The previous tradition surrounding the Day of the idle prove harder to erase , so the Catholic Church shut down them into the survive watching of All Saints ' Day ( Nov. 1 ) and All Souls ' Day ( Nov. 2 ) .
2. The Aztecs Celebrated Day of the Dead
When the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the 16th century , they found flourishing indigenous cultures , the large at the time being the Aztecs . The Spanish reported that the Aztecscelebrated a monumental festivalevery August devote to the dead .
In Aztec mythology , the underworld was watched over by Mictecacihuatl , the Lady of the Dead . Her obligation was to watch over the bones of past lives , which were also the beginning of unexampled lives on Earth . Once a year , Mictecacihuatl would leave the underworld to check on her " living osseous tissue . "
The Aztecs welcome Mictecacihuatl and her hubby Miclantecuhtl with a monthlong death festival in August filled with offerings and dance . Aztec sculpture of Mictecacihuatl and Miclantecuhtl portray them with skeleton face and necklaces dangling with skulls and severed hands .
3. Day of the Dead is a Pagan-Christian Mashup
It ’s called " spiritual syncretism , " when survive religious customs and even god are close down into a new belief system . When the Aztecs and other indigenous Mexican group fell to the Spanish , they wereforced to destroy their templesand pagan idol and replace them with cathedrals and the Saints .
But early Spanish missionary screw that a conquered hoi polloi would have an easier time accept a Modern deity and new traditions if they equip into an existing religious worldview and ritual calendar . And that ’s on the button what happen with the Day of the Dead .
Mexican autochthonic religious belief venerated the dead , so the Catholic Church looked for existing Christian holidays that emphasized communion between the keep and those beyond . All Saints ' Day ( Nov. 1 ) is a time for Christians toremember and honor fallen saintsnow in heaven . And All Souls ' Day ( Nov. 2 ) marks the time to pray for the soul of departed loved ace who may betrapped in Purgatorywaiting for admission to heaven .
It turned out that purging millenary of spiritual tradition was n’t as wanton as travel the Aztec death festival from August to November . The Mexican people obeyed their Catholic conqueror , but they held close to pre - Latino symbolic representation like Mictecacihuatl and her skull necklace , which endure today as the skeleton - chicCatrinaandday - glo lucre skulls .
4. It’s Not a Sad or Spooky Holiday
It ’s severe for foreigner , peculiarly Americans , to enwrap their heads around Day of the Dead . In Western culture , death is something to be feared and the spirit of the dead are more probable to retort as creepy-crawly ghosts than friendly visitor . So , the melodic theme of spending an intact night camp out at a loved one ’s grave accent can seem both pitiful and terrifying .
But Clarence Day of the Dead is neither of those things . While Mexicans absolutely mourn the loss of loved single and neglect them terribly , that ’s not the point of Day of the Dead . daytime of the Dead is a solemnization of life — both here and beyond — when the souls of the depart come home for banqueting and fun .
The colorful traditions besiege Day of the bushed serve two purposes : 1 ) they serve us remember , respect and lionize jazz ace who have passed , and 2 ) they let us laugh at death while pound playfulness at the sustenance .
The Mexican poet and author Octavio Paz describe this uniquely Mexican position toward demise , writing that a Mexican person"is familiar with death , jokes about it , caresses it , sleep with it , keep it ; it is one of his favourite toys and his steadfast love . "
Even the cemetery , a topographic point that westerner consort with mourning and fear , is tinged with laughter , music and colorful decorations on the Day of the Dead . decease , after all , is part of the human experience . So why not make it a niggling more merriment ?
5. Ofrendas Light the Way Home
We ’ll get back to the cemetery in a minute , but Day of the Dead really set out in the household with the building of anofrenda , a eccentric of festive altar dedicated to a at rest hump one . Theofrendacan be little or big , small or ornate , but it ’s sure to include a ikon of the person who has passed on , plus some of their favorite foods and drinkable to help them refuel after the recollective journey from the spirit world .
The path home is marked by flower petals scatter on and around the communion table , smoky incense , candles and colorfulpapel picado , artfully cut pieces of crepe newspaper publisher . The dominant color ofofrendasis the rich yellowness of thecempasuchilflower , a Mexican kind of marigold . In the days draw close Day of the Dead , blossom markets trade agglomerate of fragrant cempasuchil for decoratingofrendas , along with lily-white baby ’s breath and purple - crimson coxcomb .
6. It’s Less a Vigil Than a Graveside Picnic
In the voice of Mexico where Day of the Dead is still traditionally observed — those include the Lake Patzcuaro area of Michoacán and Oaxaca , among others — much of the celebration centers around the local cemetery .
In the solar day conduct up to Nov. 1 , families will clean up the gravesite of a loved one . They ’ll pull up out weeds , put a fresh coating of paint on iron fences and wipe down headstones . In humbler cemeteries , where a grave might only be marked with a elementary , wooden cross , families will bring excavator and mound up fresh soil over the tomb .
Then it ’s prison term to adorn the grave . Just like the altar at home , these graveside ofrendas include lots of cempasuchil heyday , candles , and offerings of intellectual nourishment and drink for the starve psyche of the departed .
On the Nox of Nov. 1 , the families tuck around the grave wrapped in shawl and cover against the cold drop air . They bring food and drinks for themselves and their spirit guests . Village musicians and the occasional mariachi dance band take request for the loved one ’s best-loved tunes .
The family will stay in the burial site all night , claver with neighbour , telling account and jest , and keeping the candles lit and the plate of food full for the unobserved guests of honour .
7. There are Two Kinds of Calaveras
The Spanish word for skeleton iscalaveraand calaveras have become tight consociate with Day of the Dead imagery , costumes and merry graphics .
The human beings credit with popularizing the calavera imagery wasMexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada , who gained fame trace satirical cartoons of Mexico ’s affluent elite and corrupt politicians , all present as comical skeletons . His most enduring image isLa Catrina , a stately distaff skeleton in a blossom hat and longsighted dress who is at once a modern embodiment of Mictecacihuatl and a commentary on the folly of vanity .
Today you ’ll see flowery clay statue of colorfully paint Catrinas for sale at Day of the Dead markets alongside small figurines of calaveras at work and play : calavera dentists , calavera bartenders , calavera stoker , etc . And while costumes are n’t a traditional part of Day of the Dead , it ’s somewhat cool to dress up like a Catrina ( or Catrin , her manful equivalent ) complete with aesthetic face rouge .
But there ’s also a 2nd eccentric of Day of the Dead " calavera . " When Posada was making his prints in turn - of - the-20th - century Mexico , many of his drawings adorn satirical poems calledcalaveras literarias(“literary " calaveras ) . These short , rhyming verses poked play at all classes of Mexican society , and writing original calaveras is still part of Day of the stagnant festivity for youngster and adults .
8. Those Sugar Skulls Aren’t Snacks
Sugar skullsare everywhere on the Day of the Dead . In Mexico , workmanship markets are fill with sugar skulls of all size ice with intricate fluorescent designs . You might recollect that since they ’re made of cabbage they ’re meant to be eaten , but you ’d be wrong .
Sugar skulls are technically edible — they ’re made with a pelf library paste calledalfeñique — but they ’re meant to be ornamental , not a bite . Sugar skulls are supposed to be placed on homeofrendasor given to friends and house as gift .
There are plenty of other edible skulls for sale at Day of the Dead marketplace , include chocolate skulls , lollipop candy skull , marshmallow skulls , etc .
9. Pan de Muertos Is the Real Treat
One of the great delight of Day of the Dead is dipping a hunk of sugar - coatedpan de muertosor " bushed bread " into a steaming mug of Mexican hot chocolate .
Pan de muertosis a seasonal delicacy in Mexico only baked in belated October . The bread is made with a fertile , eggy wampum flavour with a dash of orange blossom extract . It ’s shape into a large stave and topped with crossbones before being dust with sugar and baked .
When eaten sassy , pan de muertois moist and cakey , but even stale dead bread is good with Mexican red-hot chocolate , known for its tantalizing trace of cinnamon .
10. Monarch Butterflies Have a Day of the Dead Connection
Every fall , meg of monarch butterfly arrive in the pine - covered mountains of the Mexican United States Department of State of Michoacán . They have flown thousands of miles from Canada to spend the winter huddled in masses in the mellow - ALT Mexican forest .
crowned head butterflies were making this same marvelous migration centuries ago when indigenous groups like the aboriginal Purépecha were celebrating Day of the Dead . The monarchs were believed to be thesouls of the digress journeying back to the land of the keep .
