“EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS”
El dia de los muertos is celebrated on november 1st and 2nd.
Each year most of the mexicans celebrate the death, most of them as a catholic tradition, this celebration to the death, and all the saints was practiced since the pre-columbian age, here are some interesting facts about the day of the death or El Dia de los Muertos.
• The celebration is actually in the graveyard.
The famillies will decorate the tombs of their loved ones and hold a familly reunion includind typical food, music, and drink tipycal drinks.
• It is meant to inspire both happines and sadness.
While most celebrate for their loved ones who believes that they laugh at their jokes and celebrate with them others think it is a time to remember the lost, and show them respect and love.
• It is celebrated in other countries.
While most people think mexico is the only country that celebrates El Dia de los Muertos most of the catholic countries celebrate it too, like spain, colombia and america central.
• The dead attend to the celebration.
The ancient people believes that the losts ones can travel back and forth between the tho wolrds, and thus the people thinks that they relatives are present among them in the celebration
• The calavera catrina was once a political symbol
The traditional calavera catrina which is a fancy dressed skull was once symbol of class warfareduring the mexican revolution
• It is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In 2008 the UNESCO declared the festivity as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
• The Xoloitzcuintli lead the dead back to heaven
It is a a dog native from mexico, a hairless dog that the native believes leads the dead back to heaven once the celebration is over
• It is celebrated in U.S.A
Since there is a big ammount of mexican living in the united states in order tho show honor, respect and tradition they celebrates too
• Monarch butterflies holds significance
The arrival of the butterflies matches with the festivities, the people believe that the butterflies are the spririt of their loved ones
• The skull means more than just dead
The native believes that the skulls are both death and rebirth
• According to the aztec calendar it was celebrated in august and lasted a month
The celebration took place in the 9th month of the aztec calendar which will be august in today`s calendar
• The Calaveras
(Skulls) are short poems mocking epitaphs describing funny stories or interesting habbits and attitudes this tradition was originated between the 18th and 19th century
• The calaveras literarias
Originated in 19th century was a form of ilustrations of important personalities, politicians as skeletons keeping their features making them recognizable
• Candy skulls made of sugar are part of the tradition
Placing the “calaveritas” or little skuls are part of the urban tradition, the rural people uses traditional dishes
• Day of the dead origins data from pre-Hispanc civilizations
The celebration took place from 2500-3000 years before spaniards conquered
And the traditions in the day of the dead
• Start the celebration on november 1st
People come days early to clean and embellish the tomb of their loved ones so they can celebrate together
• The altar
One of the most important traditions is to set up an altar in memorie of the deceased where the four elements are placed represented by water, wind fire(the candles) and earth (the flowers) and also the favourite food of the loved ones
• Mexican cempasúchitl
The marigold is the traditional flower used in honor to the dead , represents life and hope, and its yelow like the sun
• Cutting paper
As a part of the celebration the people cut paper in diferrent shapes and hang them arround the town and the graveyard
• The offering
Make an offering with someting that belong to your relatives or something they liked by leaving it on the altar made for them
• The catrinas
The celebrate their tradiition painting thair faces as the catrinas to honor their loved ones
• Celebrate in the graveyard
When the people reunites in the tombs of their loved ones the offer and prayer for therm and celebrate the dead
• Dead bread
Using the “el pan muerto” dead bread
The tradition says that it represents the cross of christ and in the other side the part in the top represents the bones and the sesame represents the tears of the souls that have not found rest.
