Día de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

November 01, 2020

Día de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

Photo by Genaro Servín from Pexels

I have seen many candy skull costumes come out for Halloween this year and wanted to examine their meaning and origin. I want to point out how the candy skull make-up is a cultural tradition of Hispanic and Latinx communities that should not be worn as an entertaining Halloween costume - much like how it's inappropriate to wear a Native American headdress or other indigenous clothing as costumes outside their intended holidays and uses. I hope this helps spread awareness of these symbols and what they represent, while allowing people to think twice about costumes they choose. I'll begin by looking into the origins of el Día de los Muertos.

Origins of Día de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a two day festival celebrated throughout Latin America and elsewhere with Hispanic or Latinx populations. The holiday is observed over November 1st and 2nd on All Saints Day and All Souls Day - combining Aztec rituals and Catholicism. Although widely celebrated, Día de los Muertos is strongly associated with Mexico where the tradition originated. Aspects of Día de los Muertos date back nearly 3,000 years, where upon dying, a person was believed to travel to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. It is believed that the deceased would be insulted by mourning and sadness, so the tradition aims to celebrate the dead instead. Celebrations include parties with activities the deceased person(s) enjoyed in life. As I understand it, the dead are not gone from this world, but transformed. As long as they are remembered on Earth, their spirit continues to live among their friends and family. Creating an enclosed circle that includes death with life.

Indigenous Traditions

The Nahua, indigenous ancestors of Central America, had a cyclical view of the universe and included death as an integral part of the human experience along with birth, childhood, and growing into a contributing member of their community. On Día de los Muertos, the dead rejoin the world as members of their community to partake in its celebrations. The Nahua rituals included family members aiding the dead's difficult journey to Chicunamictlán by providing tools, water, and food for the deceased at their graves. The contemporary practice was heavily inspired by this tradition.

Image by Danie Blind from Pixabay

Modern Celebration

Today offerings are left on loved one's graves or on makeshift altars at home known as ofrendas. The altars are covered in candles and bright marigolds called cempasuchil to help illuminate the path for the dead to find their Earthly homes. This tradition stems from medieval Spain, where the graves were also decorated with flowers and candles. Conquistadores brought these traditions to the New World in the 16th century.

As far as why marigolds were chosen to represent el Día de los Muertos, it's origin is surrounded by legend. Mexican Marigolds are native to the Americas. The legend of the cempasuchil begins with two Aztec lovers who offered flowers to the Sun god. After one of the lovers was killed, the other begged the god to reunite her with her love. The god cast a ray of sun upon the woman and turned into a flower bursting with fiery colors. Her love was reborn as a hummingbird who found the flower. Their love triumphed over death and became symbolic for el Día de los Muertos.

Other Symbolism

The most well-known representation of el Día de los Muertos are calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls). These symbols are generally seen on candied sweets, parade masks, and dolls. The Calacas and calaveras are mostly portrayed as enjoying life and wearing fancy clothes. José Guadalupe Posada, a cartoonist from the early 20th century, intended to mock Mexicans with his cartoon La Calavera Catrina, or Elegant Skull. It featured a female skeleton adorned with make-up and decorated with fancy clothes. Posada's statement was about how Mexicans adopted European fashions over their own heritage and traditions. La Calavera Catrina is now the most recognizable element of the holiday. Observers of el Día de los Muertos, paint their faces to look like skulls to honor the deceased, and decorate them to represent a lost loved one.

Disney Pixar Animation Studio released the film Coco in 2017. The film follows the story of a boy who is transported into the Land of the Dead where he reconnects with deceased family members and finally realizes why his family celebrates Día de los Muertos. It is a creative depiction that brings to life certain aspects of the holiday and educates a little of the traditions.

Día de los Muertos vs Halloween

While Día de los Muertos and Halloween share some similar traditions like costumes, parades, and time of year, these are two separate holidays. Celebrating a person's life after they die keeps their memory alive and a part of the family who remembers them. Celebrations take many forms, including large parades. Link below for a virtual river parade of el Día de los Muertos.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/10/27/ksat-to-host-illuminating-virtual-day-of-the-dead-river-walk-parade-friday-evening/

Día de los Muertos is not just a holiday, but a sacred event for those who believe in it. So pop some corn and put on Coco. You can wish someone a happy Day of the Dead by saying, “Feliz día de los Muertos.”