A historical and cultural pastime in Mexico and many other Hispanic nations, the Day of the Dead (el Dia de los Muertos in Spanish) is a combination of Christian and pre-Hispanic native beliefs and traditions.
Entire towns join in remembering the dead on November 1st and 2nd every year, leading parades, decorating graves, building altars, lighting candles, leaving food and water for the dead, and spending time with family and friends remembering and honoring the dead.
Customs and Traditions
In keeping with the combination of cultural traditions, many altars contain Christian crosses and pictures of the Virgin Mary. In addition, they often hold articles representing the classic elements of earth, water, wind, and fire.
The favorite foods of the family's deceased are often left at the altar with drinking water, so that the spirits of their visiting deceased can enjoy their favorite meals again and quench their thirst after their long journey from the afterlife.
Many towns engage in dances and festivals, often making a good deal of noise to wake the spirits and draw them to the attractions. It is from these celebrations that the famous skull and skeleton images and trinkets originated.
Spiritual Significance
The altars that contain religious and cultural symbols also may carry artifacts of the deceased - pictures, trinkets, even clothing or pillows belonging to the dead family member.
Candles, uniting the Christian and native fire symbolism, encourage prayerful reflection on life, death, and relationships. Many people believe that the special nature of the day allows the dead to communicate with the living more easily and will make their prayers more likely to be heard.
The native traditions of celebrating the goddess of death in the month of August have since combined with the Roman Catholic traditions of All Saints' and All Souls' days on the first two days of November.
There is now little conflict between the two religious traditions in celebrating the Day of the Dead, and many people of various faiths enjoy the opportunity to celebrate loved ones and consider the world in more spiritual terms.
Celebrating Life
Instead of encouraging grief and sadness at the remembrance of the deaths of loved ones, however, these activities are used to help the living come to terms with the passing of family members and the inevitable cycle of life. It is also used by many to keep the memory of dead friends and family members alive through discussion and recalling fond memories with others who knew them.
It is in this way that those who celebrate the Day of the Dead also, in turn, celebrate life. They remind themselves of the beauty of lives lost, and often use the holiday to remind themselves of the blessings in their own life. Remembering that life ends prompts many people to appreciate the life they have today.
