8 Things About the Day of the Dead in Mexico
Dia de Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is probably the best-known Mexican holiday worldwide.
- The Day of the Dead in Mexico is NOT Mexican Halloween. It occurs at around the same time but has nothing to do with the American tradition of trick or treat and Halloween.
- Day of the Dead is thousands of years old and dates from the early Aztec and other Nahua cultures that considered death to be an integral part of life. The dead were thought to still be a part of the community and were honored on this special day when they were believed to return to earth to visit.
- When the Catholic church came to the Americas this celebration was incorporated into the church and celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in the Catholic calendar).
- In 2008 UNESCO recognized Dia de Muertos as a cultural heritage of humanity. It is celebrated throughout Latin America, but nowhere as elaborately as in Mexico.
5. It is thought that the spirits of the dead return on these days to visit the living. Families prepare elaborate altars at home as well as at the cemeteries, laden with some of the favorite things of the departed such as food, drink, souvenirs, and photos of the dead to welcome them. It is not a macabre holiday, but a joyous one. The atmosphere is festive with dancing and music in the streets. Marigolds are scattered to show the way from the cemetery to the altar.
6. People dress up as skeletons (called calaveras) using makeup that is amazingly creative. The most famous skeletons are the Catrina and Catrin. These are skeletons dressed in formal attire of the 1700s originally thought to be poking fun at the way upper class Mexicans of the time tended to emulate European dress. One Mexican writer commented that we are all skeletons beneath our costumes.
7. “Papel picado” or pierced paper is hung along the streets from posts or balconies during the time before, and for some time after, the Day of the Dead celebrations. While this decorative paper often with skull figures or other decoration of the season is not exclusive to the Day of the Dead it is almost always present at this time. This delicate decoration represents the fragility of life.
8. One of the most authentic and popular places to visit in Mexico to experience the Day of the Dead is in Patzcuaro, only a few hours' drive from Zihuatanejo. Indigenous natives from the surrounding area board boats on the lake, each with a candle on the bow, to paddle out to Janitzio. Janitzio is an island in the middle of Patzcuaro lake composed primarily of a cemetery. There they decorate the graves of departed relatives and hold an all-night vigil to welcome their dead.
While it is true that the theme of the Day of the Dead is death, it is celebrated in an atmosphere of joy and hope with dancing in the streets, costumes and parades, and in general a celebration of life.
