As many students already heard, earlier this month, the Day of the Dead or in Spanish, “Dia de Los Muertos” happened on the first and second of November. But what is this holiday? What is its significance? What happens around this time, and how are these days celebrated? This article will answer some of the most important frequently asked questions.
To further understand what this holiday signifies in Mexico, we must first ask “What is Dia de Los Muertos?” And what is its significance?
Dia de Los Muertos is a holiday that has been around for thousands of years, but its roots are tied to the Aztec Empire. In the Aztec Empire, it was celebrated as a way to honor and celebrate the dead and keep their memory alive. They believed that the dead would come back from the underworld to visit the living. To the Aztecs, death was an important part of their religion and culture. The significance of Dia de Los Muertos is massive in countries like Mexico, which has declared it a holiday. It is very meaningful in Mexico because the holiday began in Mexico’s central valley where the Aztec Empire once stood! And an even bigger reason is because of the culture! There is a lot of rich Mexican culture involved in Dia de Los Muertos.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Ok, well if Dia de Los Muertos is meant to remember the dead and it is important because of the culture, how is Dia de Los Muertos actually celebrated?”
Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated with many different decorations such as sugar skulls, altars (Including grave altars, which are altars located on a grave), favorite food and drinks from the dead, Pan de Muerto (seen on right), Champurrado, Hot Chocolate, and LOTS of a pretty orange flowers called Cempasuchil (seen to the left).
It may not smell strong to us, but Cempasuchil’s scent is said to guide the spirits of the dead to the altars and to the offerings. Besides the decorations, there are parades from villages throught Mexico all the way to the capital of Mexico. There are parties, music performances, and lots of family gatherings. In the small villages like the Oaxaca region, there will be a big party across the entire village, and massive pans of Pan de Muerto are baked and sold for the events.
Around the time Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated, cemeteries will get many more visitors than they normally do, and the decorations would start placed on the graves and in the cemetery itself.
Dia de Los Muertos is a wonderful celebration of life, death, and numerous cultures. It is also a time for families to get together, remember, and honor the departed. This will conclude the article of Dia de Los Muertos, and on behalf of the Wildwood Press, I would like to thank you the reader for taking the time to read these wonderful articles. We’ll see you back in the next edition!
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