THE DAY OF THE DEAD

El Día de los Muertos What is it? When is it? Where is it celebrated? El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a traditional Latin American holiday honoring the dead. El Día de los Muertos is not a sad time, but instead a time of remembering and rejoicing. When is it? It is celebrated every year at the same time as Halloween and the Christian holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day (November 1st and 2nd). Where is it celebrated? It is celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, and other areas in Central and South America. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in areas of the United States, such as California, Texas, and many others in which Latin American heritage exists.

What is the Day of the Dead? More than 500 years ago, when the Spanish Conquistadors landed in what is now Mexico, they saw native Indians practicing a ritual that seemed to mock death.

What is the Day of the Dead? A ritual known today as el Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, had been practiced by the local people at least 3,000 years. The Spaniards tried to stamp out the ritual but were unsuccessful. It is still celebrated in Latin America and certain parts of the USA. Although the ritual has since been merged with Catholic celebrations, it still keeps some of the elements of the Aztec ritual, such as the use of skulls.

When is The Day of The Dead? The original celebration can be traced to the festivities held during the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli, ritually presided by the goddess Mictecacihuatl ("Lady of the Dead"), and dedicated to children and the dead. The rituals during this month also featured a festivity dedicated to the major Aztec war deity, Huitzilopochtli ("Sinister Hummingbird").

When is the Day of the Dead? In the Aztec calendar, the Day of the Dead ritual fell roughly at the end of July and the beginning of August. The Spanish priests moved the ritual so that it came at the same time as the Christian holiday of Halloween (in Spanish: “el Día de Todos Santos") As a result, the Latin Americans now celebrate the Days of the Dead during the first two days of November rather than at the beginning of summer.

What is The Day of The Dead? This ancient festivity has been changed throughout the years, but was originally intended to celebrate children and the dead. The best way to describe this Latin American holiday is to say that it is a time when families remember their dead and the continuity of life.

What happens in the celebrations? The day’s activities consist of visits by families to the graves of their close kin. At the gravesites, family members start by sprucing up the gravesite, decorating it with flowers, setting out and enjoying a picnic, and interacting socially with other family and community members who gather at the cemetery. Families remember the departed by telling stories about them.

What happens in the celebrations? The meals prepared for these picnics are sumptuous, usually featuring meat dishes in spicy sauces, a special egg-batter bread, cookies, chocolate, and sugary confections in a variety of animal or skull shapes. Gravesites or family altars are decorated with large, bright flowers such as marigolds and chrysanthemums and adorned with religious jewelry and (in smaller villages) with offerings of food, cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.

What happens in the celebrations? The warm social environment, the colorful setting, and the abundance of food, drink and good company at this commemoration of the dead is pleasant in spite of its morbid subject. The festive interaction between living and dead in an important social ritual and a way of recognizing the cycle of life and death that is human existence.

What happens in the celebrations? The Day of the Dead is a time for the dead to return home and visit loved ones, feast on their favorite foods, and listen to their favorite music. In the homes, family members honor their deceased with ofrendas or offerings which may consist of photographs, bread, other foods, flowers, toys and other symbolic offerings.

Traditions: Altars In the homes, families arrange ofrendas or altars with flowers, bread, fruit and candy. Pictures of the deceased family members are added. In the late afternoon, special all-night burning candles are lit. It is a time to remember the departed - the old ones, their parents, and grandparents. Altars should include: A picture of the one being  remembered Items they were fond of Something to snack on Candles Flowers Gifts

Traditions: Flowers During los Dias de los Muertos the yellow marigold symbolizes the short duration of life. Other flowers commonly seen during this celebration include the white amaryllis, wild orchids, baby's breath and ruby coxcombs that are offered as adornment and enticement for the returning spirits. Wreaths made of flowers, both real and plastic, are often placed on the grave sites.

Traditions: Food Calaveras Pan de Muerto Special loaves of bread are baked, called pan de muerto, and decorated with "bones. Calaveras Candy skulls made of chocolate or sugar are offered to the dead and eaten by the living in celebration

Traditions: Skeletons Skeletons and skulls are found everywhere. There are chocolate skulls, marzipan coffins, and white chocolate skeletons. Handmade skeleton figurines, called calacas, are especially popular. Calacas usually show an active and joyful afterlife. They can be figures of musicians, generals on horseback, and even skeletal brides in their white bridal gowns, marching down the aisles with their boney grooms.

Traditions: Papel Picado Papel Picado is a traditional art used to decorate homes, businesses, markets and altars in preparation for the Day of the Dead. The thin tissue paper images are usually cut in large quantities and hung in repetitious patterns.

Traditions: Art

Traditions: Art

Traditions: Art

Traditions: Masks

Traditions: Masks

Traditions: Masks

Traditions: Masks

Traditions: Masks

Examples of work by students

Traditions: Masks

Traditions: Masks

David Cation - artist’s work

David Cation - artist’s work

David Cation - artist’s work

Glossary alfenique - a special confection used to fashion skulls, fruits and other figures. angelitos - the souls of the children who have died, literally "little angels" atole - an ancient drink made from corn meal and water flavored with various fruits. calavera - a skull, also a slang term for "daredevil"

Glossary calaveras - songs and poems about the festival careta -a face mask cempazuchitl - a yellow marigold, the symbol of death copalli - a scented resin used to make candles

Glossary mole - a thick sauce made from a variety of ingredients including chilis, sesame seeds, herbs, spices, chocolate/fruit. ofrenda - an offering, refers to the goods set out on the altars pan de los muertos - bread of the dead