Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead

Our students are excited about being in Guadalajara next month as they will have the pleasure of witnessing one of Mexicos most traditional holidays: The Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos. This holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying and eating is common.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. The celebration occurs on November 2nd in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1st) and All Souls' Day (November 2nd).

November 1st honors children and infants, whereas deceased adults are honored on November 2nd. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1st mainly as Día de los Inocentes ("Day of the Innocents") but also as Día de los Angelitos ("Day of the Little Angels") and November 2nd as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos ("Day of the Dead").

During the two-day period, families visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are burried to be with the souls of the departed. They clean and decorate their graves with ofrendas ("offerings") with the intent to encourage visits by the souls, so that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Catrinas, one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations in MexicoToys, are brought for dead children (los angelitos, or "the little angels"), and bottles of tequila, mezcal or pulque or jars of atole for adults. A common offering and decortaion used during this celbration and which is one of the symbols of the Day of the Dead is the Flor de Muerto ("Flower of the Dead) or orange mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta), also called cempasúchitl (originally named cempoalxochitl, Nahuatl for "twenty flowers"). These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings.

Another common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls and rabbits, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.

Some families also build altars or small shrines at the grave site of the departed and in their homes. These usually have the Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other persons, scores of candles and an ofrenda. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so that when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased.

El Panteon de Belen is Guadalajaras oldest cemetery and is located in the downtown area. This historical landmark offers day and night tours year-round which delight its visitors with legends and gohst stories. There is no better time of year to walk the grounds of this site than during the Day of the Dead celebration, when it appears to vibrate with life and color as if the souls of the departed truly did returned just for this occasion; to celebrate along with their families and friends.

Students at IMAC will honor the Day of the Dead by building their own altar at our school dedicated to a famous figure which made their mark in Mexicos history. Each student will have a chance to participate in this event, and lend a hand in various ways.