By Amanda Moses
Skeleton face paint and cemetery visits have often been attributed to the spooky traditions of Halloween; however, these are signature symbols of a religious holiday called Dia de Los Muertos.
Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a time of year when families remember those who’ve passed away for two days (November 1st and November 2nd), celebrating life and death with various offerings.
Traditionally celebrated by those with Mexican heritage, Dia de Los Muertos was originally practiced by the Mayans, Aztecs, and other Indigenous People to stress the significance of death as a natural part of life. This holiday is said to be when the spirits of the dead return to Earth to spend time with their families.
Historically, the Aztecs worshiped the goddess of death, who they believed protected those who passed away. In the 1900s, this was personified by Jose Guadalupe Posada, who painted a large skeleton figure with a flowery hat titled La Calavera Catrina. This figure was immortalized in a mural by Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, depicting La Catrina in “Dreams of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park.” Decades later, La Catrina became the symbol of Dia de los Muertos.
To commemorate this occasion, families create an “ofrenda,” which is an altar where photos, favorite foods, yellow marigolds, candles, and skulls (calaveras) made of clay, wood, or sugar are placed in the memory of the departed. The skulls represent the deceased family member and usually have that person’s name engraved on it. Bright, yellow marigolds are a significant part of the holiday because it is said that their fragrance helps guide the spirits back to Earth for the two-day event.
There are three different segments when celebrating Dia de Los Muertos: at midnight on November 1st, families honor the spirits of the children with Dia de los Angelitos for a full day by placing toys, photos, and candy on their ofrenda. The following day at midnight is Dia de Los Difuntos, where families remember the spirits of the adults who passed away with a night of storytelling, drinking, and playing games. The culmination of this holiday includes a public celebration where communities come together with their faces painted resembling skulls, visit cemeteries, and place flowers and gifts on the graves.
Photos by Amanda Moses
