People wear skull makeup and spend their nights at the graveyard. These flowers (nicknamed el flor del muerto – “the flower of the dead”), sometimes said to represent the sun and rebirth, are also believed to help guide the spirits back home. Explore one of the most popular festivals of Mexico, Day of the Dead! Many other cultures around the world have similar traditions of a day set aside to visit the graves of deceased family members. A reminder of the cycles of life, calaveras are colorful folk art skulls decorated with colored foil, icing, beads, ribbons, and feathers. Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain. This post focuses in on common traditions you can find in Latin American countries for Día de Muertos. They often Your email address will not be published. In Oaxaca, preparations start a week before the start of Dia de los Muertos (or, as you soon learn, what the locals refer to simply as “Dia de Muertos” or just “Muertos”). People will also paint their faces like skeletons or sugar skulls for the celebration. Day of the Dead Traditions Families decorate a relative's grave with flowers at a cemetery in Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan State, Mexico on November 1, 2015. With so many of its traditions dating back hundreds even thousands of years, one may assume that they all do. Some of them include the parade in Mexico City that has been running for the past three years, as well as the Calaveras Festival in San Luis Potosí, which is an homage to Posada’s cartoons. As Mexico is a large and diverse country, traditions are as varied as the country itself, but there are unique traditions that have become central to the holiday. The preparation method is strongly symbolic, as it resembles the process of burial. Day of the Dead began as a traditional Mesoamerican celebration in southern Mexico meant to guide the spirits of departed loved ones in the afterlife. Mexico’s history has shaped the festival into what it is today and the past inhabitants have added their unique stamps on Dia de la Muertos so the Catholic feasts of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day have been combined with the Hispanic rituals. The traditional Ofrenda is divided into various levels to represent the various stages of life and death. some places, such as the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca, bells ring from Halloween has its origins in the Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, while Day of the Dead is rooted in the ancient religious traditions of Mesoamerica’s indigenous population. Customs vary by region, and some Day of the Dead traditions are more well-known than others. Families gather to eat pan de muerto along with their loved ones’ favorite foods and drinks and share stories and memories of past family members. windows. In many ways, the Day of the Dead is the quintessential Mexican holiday because it seems to blend European Catholic traditions with Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican influences more clearly than other festivities. Dia de Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a 2,000+ year-old tradition of celebrating the lives of the deceased. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). When I was younger and growing up Catholic, my family always went to church on 1 November – All Saints’ Day. The central element of the celebration is the altar or "ofrenda" in Spanish. Traditionally, friends and family members create an ofrenda, or altar, for their dead loved one(s) to honor and remember them.. Pan de muerto is a special sweet bread baked especially for the holiday, with recipes that vary from region to region. Day of the Dead is a unique tradition celebrated every year on November 1st and 2nd across Mexico. Because I do not practice Christianity or Catholicism (although I think Christ was a cool dude with valuable lessons to share), I have often wondered about making my own, new traditions on this day. This unique and colorful holiday, most widely recognized and represented by its hallmark ornate calaveras (skulls), is celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd.. This video belongs to Discovery Education for Educational Purposes Only. Day of the Dead Traditions. On November 2, the living travel to their loved ones’ graves to say their final goodbyes until next year. Carrera de los Muertos is a vibrant 5k run/walk that has become an annual tradition in Los Angeles and San Diego. 10 … This post focuses in on common traditions you can find in Latin American countries for Día de Muertos. In Mexico, the celebration is held from October 31 to November 2nd, coinciding with the Catholic feast days of All Saints and All Souls, but the festival's origins are rooted in a unique combination of elements drawn from indigenous beliefs and Catholic teachings. Like many festivals Day of the Dead is prepared for and carried out following the traditions that have lasted through the years. Halloween, as it is practiced today, involves trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, and decorating pumpkins. A sacred, joyous time, Day of the Dead traditions include food and flowers, visits with family members, prayers, and stories about those who have died. Required fields are marked *. A sacred, joyous time, Day of the Dead traditions include food and flowers, visits with family members, prayers, and stories about those who have died. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and to remember friends and family members who have died. 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