vocabulario Día de los muertos

A holiday celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2 to remember deceased family and friends. El día de los muertos

calavera Decorated skulls Sugar skulls Satirical poems, that often make fun of politics

Calaca A skeleton figure representing death Esqueleto = skeleton

Panteón, tumba tomb

Posada Mexican artist who drew political cartoons He also created La Catrina ◦ Catrina is a woman in Victorian clothes  Feathered hat and long skirt

Papel picado Cut paper decorations ◦ Fragile paper reminds us life is fragile ◦ Intricate designs; often of skeletons

vela Candle ◦ Used on altars and tombs to guide the souls home

illuminacion Ceremony that takes place in the graveyard when hundreds of candles are lit to guide the souls

Pan de muerto Bread of the dead ◦ Sweet bread ◦ Sometimes in the form of birds, fish, skull and crossbones

Altar de muertos The offering that the family sets aside for their dead relatives

La ofrenda The offering left on the altar for the deceased.

dulce Candy Sweet

Alfenique Sugar paste candy treats ◦ Often in form of a skull or animals

Cementerioflores Cemetery flowers

cempazuchitl Orange marigold flower ◦ Used to decorate altars and tombs  The bright color and scent help guide the souls back Used to make a path from the door to the altar

mariposa Butterfly ◦ Aztecs thought monarch butterflies were souls of deceased warriors returning to visit.

Los angelitos Souls of the dead children who visit Nov 1

copal Incense ◦ The smoke helps guide the souls back

mole Sauce made of many ingredients including: chocolate, chile peppers, bread, seeds

rosquete Bread in the form of a pink circle (circle of life/death)

Día de todos los santos All Saints Day Catholic holiday on Nov. 1 to celebrate all saints, known and unknown.

Huesodisfraz Bonecostume

máscara mask

chapulín Grasshopper ◦ Some people like to eat chocolate covered grasshoppers

Difunto, muerto dead