You have shared your joyful moments with the living people. How about spending a week away with the dead now? While this may sound scary, the festival of Dia de Muertos is quite the opposite. It is filled with laughter, colors, and remembrance. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in honor of the deceased individuals every year from 26th October till November 2nd. This festive event is the perfect depiction of Mexican culture. A country viewed to be merely about tacos and tequilas. However, this country adds spices not only in the dishes but in their celebrations too. This blog will throw some light on the dreadful event of the Day of the Dead to let you enjoy a colorful time with the parted souls.
Halloween versus Day of the Dead
Let’s get this loud and clear, The Day of the Dead is NOT Halloween. No matter how much you try to relate the concept of gloom and skeletons with witchcraft and eeriness. You would fail eventually! The difference is so sheer that it became a national statement of Mexico back in the 90s. It was clearly stated that Dia de Muertos is not “Mexican Halloween”.
And it can be seen why. Halloween is about fearing death. It is about trick or treating your loved ones and decorating homes with pumpkins, spider cobs, and jack lanterns.
On the other hand, The All Souls Day is about inviting death to a party. Unlike Halloween, this event celebrates death by welcoming the spirits of their deceased ones. The colorful festival with family gatherings defines the meaning of this occasion.
While both the celebrations share an element of death, their significance and roots are totally poles apart. Halloween is celebrated in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is about creating a sense of fear of death. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American parts. And it is about greeting death with a smile.
Behind the Scenes of Dia de Muertos
Let’s first take a quick peek into the historical significance of this festival. The Day of the Dead also known as All Souls Day roots back to 3000 years ago in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The Aztec tribe and other Nauha people were quite philosophical about death. They considered death as a part of life. (Pretty deep right?). While death is seen as ruthless and dark, these people altered the whole definition of it. They turned the gloomy reality into fantastical fiction filled with colors and laughter.
Imagine This: You are walking on the streets of Mexico with a beef taco in one hand. Suddenly, you came across the skeleton. Instead of running away, you start smiling at it. Why? Because the skeleton was wearing a fancy vibrant costume.
But this is not where the climax happens. When the Spanish invaded the Aztec empire in the 16th century, they took the traditions and rituals of the empire with them. The Latin American indigenous traditions fused with the non-Catholic notions of the afterlife. Thus, giving birth to The Day of the Dead.
Cultural Importance
The Day of the Dead is like playing Ouija board in a colorfully lit house but with a twist. You dare to invite the deceased to play the game with you. Dia de Muertos is a unique celebration rooted in the belief that life on Earth is preparing for the afterlife. And it is important to connect with the ones that have betrayed life and embraced death. It is believed that when a person dies, their teyolia or souls go to several afterworlds.
The afterworlds are divided according to the types of death these individuals have gone through. It’s like Dante’s Inferno in Mexican style! Special altars are dedicated on specific days to honor different groups of deceased. Following are the days that are dedicated to various dead individuals.
- October 28- This day is for the people who die in accident or violent death
- October 29- Individuals who passed away from drowning are reconnected with their families on this day.
- October 30- Forgotten and lonely souls are remembered on this day.
- October 31- People visit the cemeteries to welcome their unborn children, who will spend the next whole day with their families.
- November 1- This day is devoted to the deceased children.
- November 2- On this day, dead adults and other elderly people are invited.
Upon dying the person is believed to travel to the Land of the Dead. However, the deceased must pass the nine challenging levels to reach the final resting place in Micitan, a mythical underworld.
Celebrate Life with the Dead
You might be wondering how to celebrate life with death right? Don’t worry! Just hop on the bandwagon of Mexico and blend in with the locals. The festival begins by cleaning the homes and decorating the shrines at home.
1. Preparation
Start off by swiping the dust away from the floors. You don’t want the dead souls to complain about your poor hygienic choices. Hang some colorful papel picado (perforated paper banners). Grab some bright tangerine-colored flowers like marigolds and spread them on the floor of the altar. (Yes, you need to build an altar at home so start working!)
These marigold flowers will be the red carpet for the showstoppers- the dead soul. When the gates of heaven will open, all the deceased humans will walk on this flowery path brightened with candles, to reach the altar. Make sure to feel them welcome and happy unless you want them to come into your nightmares!
Cook some delicious Mexican cuisines like tamale, atole (warm corn-based drink), or juicy Turkey. Bake off some piping hot sweet bread (pan de Muertos) for the deceased ones to relish.
The shrine is divided into different sections. On these shelves, you will put each of the memorable objects to remember the parted loved ones. The first section includes photos of the deceased and religious statues. The second shelf contains offerings such as bottles of tequila, mezcal, or atole and the favorite dishes that the dead used to enjoy in life. The third tier will be set with lit candles. Some people even install a washbasin and hang a towel for the dead to replenish from the journey.
2. Visiting Graveyards
Do you love living on the edge of death? Then pay a little visit to the graveyard. On November 1st, you will see families going to the cemeteries. They will scrub off the smudges from the tombstones and cut the bushes. All this is done to honor the visit of the deceased individuals.
Take your mexico holidays to extremes this time. Enjoy a picnic near the gravesites with the locals. Indulge in cracking jokes and sharing laughter moments as you bite off the succulent meat and gulp it down with a shot of tequila.
3. Cherish At Home
On the next day (November 2nd, go back to the houses to commemorate the departed children. Let your childhood come to life as you play games with living young beings. Listen with all ears to the fascinating stories that families share about their beautiful dead child. Laugh your wit out by hearing some funny poems to lighten up death. It’s like being the “afterlife of the party”.
4. Dance Night
After having a mouth-watering meal, let loose and dance your night away to burn off the spicy heat from the mole. Tune in to some live music often featuring mariachi bands or traditional folk music. Join hands with the locals and rejoice in the lives of the departed. As you groove to the rhythm, feel the joy and the ambience of the atmosphere.
Symbols of All Souls Day
All the decorations used to embellish the altar carry deep meaning in them. The prominence of death is evident in these objects. Some of the elements used in the ritual are:
- La Catrina- She is a female skeleton with a hat. In 1910, Jose Guadalupe Posada painted La Catrina to mock the native women adopting European dress. What emerged as a satire, later became a national icon. La Carina represents that death is for everyone and one can escape the arms of it. She is an emblem to celebrate the event with elegance and aristocracy.
- Skeleton (Calaveras)- A must part of the ritual. These are drawn with a smile to laugh at the death itself. The traditional skull skeleton is created as an ornamental gift for children and family members.
- Albregies- These are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures.
- Sugar Skulls- These are candies made from sugar and water. Sugar skulls are a symbol of blending pre-Hispanic culture with the Spanish custom of molding.
- Pan de Muertos- It is atraditional Mexican dessert eaten only during this festival. A sweetened bun embellished with bone-shaped phalanges pieces. Bones are the sign of the dead and are portrayed in a round to show the circle of life.
- Salt- Itpurifies and cleanses the souls. Salt is often placed in a small dish or a cross shape.
What To Wear on The Day of the Dead
As the old saying goes “Do as the Romans do”, dress up on the festive occasion Mexican way! Look dead while still appearing as a woman with feelings (an altered term for dead gorgeous). Get inspired by Lady Catrina and adorn the beautiful dresses with grace. You can go for a traditional vibrant huipil (colorful blouse), puebla dress, or a campesina (off the shoulder and cinched at the waist).
Men can wear a charro suit, complete with a sombrero and a serape. Since this festival is to celebrate death, get creative in applying makeup. Let your artist out and paint yourself in all colors and designs to beat Lady Catrina herself.
Tips To Consider For The Day of the Dead
When traveling to Mexico to become a part of this joyful celebration, it is vital to consider some tips to have a safe and smooth experience.
- Book in advance to avoid last-minute hassle. Learn about your hotel and surroundings.
- Understand the Festival properly before celebrating it. Don’t mistake it for Halloween. While Halloween is about fearing death. This Mexican event is about laughing with death.
- Mexico has a bad rep for being an unsafe country because of the thug and drug life. Avoid walking back alone at night. Remain alert always about your surroundings. Don’t lose your head!
- When visiting burial sites and community events, maintain respect all the time. Don’t make too much noise disrupting the peace.
- Keep a note of the footwear. Certain places are cobblestoned and sidewalks are usually cracked or uneven. Even the graveyards are hard to navigate with the right slippers. In such cases, sneakers or boots are a smart option.
- Pack all the necessary items for the trip to Mexico like sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, light wearables (as the weather is usually hot), and backup batteries.
- The Day of the Dead is also about engaging in religious activities. Avoid taking snaps for your Instagram handle everywhere. Some people might find it offensive.
Wrap Up
The Day of the Dead is a festival to celebrate the afterlife. Through this robust event, you learn about how important life is. Also, Dia de Muertos teaches you that death should not always be terrifying and mournful. It can be lively too, just like life. Because even death has a heart. Don’t you agree?
This blog gives you a glimpse of why you should celebrate this holiday in Mexico. The Day of the Dead is a vibrant festival to reconnect with the deceased. By fully investing yourself in this extraordinary occasion, and participating in the traditions, you can reflect on mortality. This festival gives you a chance to cherish the memories and the advice of your loved ones.
If you are traveling to Mexico at the right time (Oct-Nov), then don’t miss out on this unique experience of rejoicing in death. What are you waiting for? Grab your hat and slip on your slippers, it’s time to make your trip truly fiesta-fabulous.