Guide to surviving and loving the Fall Season

Part 7.4) Autumn Holidays and Observations: Dias De Los Muertos

7.4) Dias De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Origin: Latin America and Spain

History of Dias De Los Muertos:

Dia de los Muertos has its origins in Aztec traditions honoring the dead. The Aztec Empire's influence extended throughout present-day Mexico and Central America, while few Native Americans of the present-day U.S. shared Aztec traditions.

November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

Traditions of Dias De Los Muertos

What is with the Deep orange marigold?

The marigold, and flowers in general, represent the fragility of life. It is believed that the spirits of our departed loved ones come to visit during the celebration and marigolds are used to help guide the spirits with their vibrant colour, as a pathway to their family from the land of the dead.

The offrenda

An offrenda is a home altar with a collection of objects placed on a ritual display during the annual and traditionally Mexican Día de Muertos celebration. An offrenda, which may be quite large and elaborate, is usually created for an individual person who has died and is intended to welcome them to the altar setting. It is said that if a family member's photo is not up on the offrenda, then they're would not be able to cross over to the land of the living to see their family. The offrenda must be in place before Halloween.

Pan de Muertos

English translation: Bread of the Dead.

Pan de Muertos, also called pan de los muertos in Mexico, is a type of pan dulce (Sweet dessert bread) traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de Muertos, which is celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd. 

There are several versions and theories about the origin of the “Pan de Muerto,” but what all have in common is that its elaboration comes from the time of human sacrifices and the arrival of the Spanish Army to the then New Spain (now Mexico), in 1519.

Sugar Skulls

A calavera [plural: calaveras] is a visual representation of a human skull. The term is most often applied to edible or decorative skulls made from either sugar or clay that are used in the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead and the Roman Catholic holiday All Souls' Day.

Remembrance

It is particularly celebrated in Mexico where the day is a public holiday. ... Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas, honoring the deceased using calaveras, aztec marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.

The beauty of these altars is they can take any shape and are highly customizable. But they should represent the four elements: fire (candles), wind (papel picado), earth (food), and water.

Movie:

A good movie to watch on the day of the dead is Coco. This captures the essence of Dias De Los Muertos perfectly, how a family comes together on the celebration.