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Day of the Dead

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation , search For other uses, see Day of the Dead
(disambiguation) . "Dia De Los Muertos" redirects here. For other uses,
see Dia De Los Muertos (disambiguation) . Sugar skull given for the Day of
the Dead, also made with chocolate and amaranto.

*The Day of the Dead* (/El Día de los Muertos/ in Spanish ) is a holiday
celebrated mainly in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage (and others)
living in the United States and Canada . The celebration occurs on the 1st
and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All
Saints' Day and All Souls' Day which take place on those days. Traditions
include building private altars honoring the deceased, and using sugar
skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed.
Observance of the holiday in Mexican-American communities in the United
States has become more important and widespread as the community grows
numerically and economically. Mexican-style Day of the Dead festivities
have spread around the world, including to Europe and New Zealand .

Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances
dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a
goddess called Mictecacihuatl (known in English as "The Lady of the
Dead").

Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example,
it is a public holiday in Brazil , where many Brazilians celebrate by
visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain , there are festivals and
parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray
to their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in
Europe and in the Philippines , and similarly-themed celebrations appear
in many Asian and African cultures.

Origins of Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to the
indigenous peoples such as the Olmec , Zapotec , Mixtec , Mexican , Maya ,
P'urhépecha , and Totonac . Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors
have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as
2500–3000 years.^[1] In the pre-Hispanic era, it was common to keep
skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death
and rebirth.

The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth
month of the Aztec calendar , about the beginning of August, and was
celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the
goddess Mictecacihuatl ,^[2] known as the "Lady of the Dead,"
corresponding to the modern Catrina .

In most regions of Mexico, November 1st honors deceased children and
infants where as deceased adults are honored on November 2nd. This is
indicated by generally referring to November 1st as "Día de los
Angelitos" (Day of the Little Angels) and November 2nd as "Día de los
Difuntos" (Day of the Dead).^[3]

Beliefs

Many observants believe that during the Day of the Dead, it is easier for
the souls of the departed to visit the living. People will go to
cemeteries to communicate with the souls of the departed, and will build
private altars, containing the favorite foods and beverages, and photos
and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the
souls, so that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the
living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as
celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.^[3]

Plans for the festival are made throughout the year, including gathering
the goods to be offered to the dead. During the period of November 1 and
November 2 , families usually clean and decorate graves;^[2] most visit
the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves
with /ofrendas/, or offerings, which often include orange marigolds called
"cempasúchil" (originally named /cempoalxochitl/, Nahuatl for "twenty
(i.e., many) flowers"). In modern Mexico this name is often replaced with
the term "Flor de Muerto" ("Flower of the Dead"). These flowers are
thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings.

Toys are brought for dead children (/los angelitos/, or little angels),
and bottles of tequila , mezcal , pulque or atole for adults. Families
will also offer trinkets or the deceased's favorite candies on the grave.
/Ofrendas/ are also put in homes, usually with foods such as candied
pumpkin, pan de muerto ("bread of the dead") or sugar skulls and beverages
such as atole. The ofrendas are left out in the homes as a welcoming
gesture for the deceased.^[2] Some people believe the spirits of the dead
eat the "spiritual essence" of the /ofrenda/ food, so even though the
celebrators eat the food after the festivities, they believe it lacks
nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so that the deceased
can rest after their long journey. In some parts of Mexico, such as the
towns of Mixquic , Pátzcuaro and Janitzio , people spend all night beside
the graves of their relatives.

Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes.^[2] These
altars usually have the Christian cross , statues or pictures of the
Blessed Virgin Mary , pictures of deceased relatives and other persons,
and scores of candles. Traditionally, families spend some time around the
altar praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations,
celebrants wear shells on their clothing so when they dance the dead will
wake up because of the noise. Some will dress up as the deceased.

Public schools at all levels build altars with offerings, usually omitting
the religious symbols. Government offices usually have at least a small
altar, as this holiday is seen as important to the Mexican heritage.

Those with writing talent sometimes create short poems, called
"/calaveras/" ("skulls"), mocking epitaphs of friends, sometimes
describing interesting habits and attitudes or some funny anecdotes. This
custom originated in the 18th-19th century, after a newspaper published a
poem narrating a dream of a cemetery in the future, "and all of us were
dead", proceeding to "read" the tombstones. Newspapers dedicate
/calaveras/ to public figures, with cartoons of skeletons in the style of
José Guadalupe Posada , a Mexican illustrator. Theatrical presentations
of /Don Juan Tenorio / by José Zorrilla (1817–1893) are also
traditional on this day.

A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called /calavera
/), which celebrants represent in masks , called /calacas / (colloquial
term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar skulls, which are inscribed
with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts
that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods
include /pan de muerto/, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes, from
plain rounds to skulls and rabbits often decorated with white frosting to
look like twisted bones.

José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure that he called
the "/calavera de la catrina/" ("/calavera/ of the female dandy"), as a
parody of a Mexican upper class female. Posada's striking image of a
costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of
the Dead, and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of
the Dead observances.

The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of
the Dead are not universal and often vary from town to town. For example,
in the town of Pátzcuaro on the Lago de Pátzcuaro in Michoacán the
tradition is very different if the deceased is a child rather than an
adult. On November 1 of the year after a child's death, the godparents set
a table in the parents' home with sweets, fruits, /pan de muerto/, a
cross, a Rosary (used to ask the Virgin Mary to pray for them) and
candles. This is meant to celebrate the child’s life, in respect and
appreciation for the parents. There is also dancing with colorful
costumes, often with skull-shaped masks and devil masks in the plaza or
garden of the town. At midnight on November 2, the people light candles
and ride winged boats called mariposas (Spanish for "butterfly") to
Janitzio, an island in the middle of the lake where there is a cemetery,
to honor and celebrate the lives of the dead there.

In contrast, the town of Ocotepec , north of Cuernavaca in the State of
Morelos opens its doors to visitors in exchange for 'veladoras' (small wax
candles) to show respect for the recently dead. In return, the visitors
receive tamales and 'atole'. This is only done by the owners of the house
where somebody in the household has died in the previous year. Many people
of the surrounding areas arrive early to eat for free and enjoy the
elaborate altars set up to receive the visitors from 'Mictlán'.

In some parts of the country, children in costumes roam the streets,
asking passersby for a /calaverita/, a small gift of money; they don't
knock on people's doors.

Some people believe that possessing "dia de los muertos" items can bring
good luck. Many people get tattoos or have dolls of the dead to carry with
them. They also clean their houses and prepare the favorite dishes of
their deceased loved ones to place upon an altar.

Observances outside Mexico

United States

In many U.S. communities with immigrants from Mexico, Day of the Dead
celebrations are held, very similar to those held in Mexico. In some of
these communities, such as in Texas ^[4] and Arizona ,^[5] the
celebrations tend to be mostly traditional. For example, the All Souls’
Procession has been an annual Tucson event since 1990. The event combines
elements of traditional Dia de los Muertos celebrations with those of
pagan harvest festivals. People wearing masks carry signs honoring the
dead and an urn in which people can put slips of paper with prayers on
them to be burned.^[6]

In other communities, interactions between Mexican traditions and American
culture are resulting in celebrations in which Mexican traditions are
being extended to make artistic or sometimes political statements. For
example, in Los Angeles, California , the Self Help Graphics & Art
Mexican-American cultural center presents an annual Day of the Dead
celebration, that includes both traditional and political elements, such
as altars to honor the victims of the Iraq War highlighting the high
casualty rate among Latino soldiers. An updated, inter-cultural version of
the Day of the Dead is also evolving at a cemetery near Hollywood .^[7]
There, in a mixture of Mexican traditions and Hollywood hip, conventional
altars are set up side-by-side with altars to Jayne Mansfield and Johnny
Ramone . Colorful native dancers and music intermix with performance
artists , while sly pranksters play on traditional themes.

Similar traditional and inter-cultural updating of Mexican celebrations is
occurring in San Francisco ,^[8] for example through the Galería de la
Raza , SomArts Cultural Center , Mission Cultural Center , de Young Museum
, and in Missoula, Montana , where skeletal celebrants on stilts, novelty
bicycles, and skis parade through town.^[9] It also occurs annually at
historic Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood.
Sponsored by Forest Hills Educational Trust and the folkloric performance
group La Piñata, the Day of the Dead celebration celebrates the cycle of
life and death. People bring offerings of flowers, photos, mementos,
mentos, and food for their departed loved ones which they place at an
elaborately and colorfully decorated altar. A program of traditional music
and dance also accompanies the community event.

Europe and elsewhere

Observance of a Mexican-style Day of the Dead has spread to Europe as
well. In Prague, Czech Republic , for example, local citizens celebrate
the Day of the Dead with masks, candles, and sugar skulls.^[10]
Mexican-style Day of the Dead celebrations can also be found in
Wellington, New Zealand , complete with altars celebrating the deceased
with flowers and gifts.^[11]

Similar celebrations

Guatemalan celebrations of the Day of the Dead are highlighted by the
construction and flying of giant kites^[12] in addition to the traditional
visits to gravesites of ancestors. A big event also is the consumption of
/fiambre / that is made only for this day during the year."^[13]

The Brazilian public holiday of "Finados" (Day of the Dead) is celebrated
on November 2. Similar to other Day of the Dead celebrations, people go to
cemeteries and churches, with flowers, candles, and prayer. The
celebration is intended to be positive, to celebrate those who are
deceased.

In Haiti , voodoo traditions mix with Roman Catholic Day of the Dead
observances, as, for example, loud drums and music are played at all-night
celebrations at cemeteries to waken Baron Samedi , the god of the dead,
and his mischievous family of offspring, the Gede.

/Dia de los ñatitas/ (Day of the Skulls) is a festival celebrated in La
Paz , Bolivia on November 9th . In pre-Columbian times, indigenous Andeans
had a tradition of sharing a day with the bones of their ancestors on the
third year after burial, however only the skulls are used today.
Traditionally, the skull of one or more family members are kept at home to
watch over the family and protect them during the year. On November 9th,
the family crowns the skull with fresh flowers, sometimes also dressing it
up in various garments, and makes offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves,
alcohol, and various other items in thanks for the year's protection. The
skulls are also sometimes taken to the central cemetery in La Paz for a
special mass and blessing.^[14]
^[15]  ^[16] 

Asia

In the Philippines , the holiday is called /Araw ng mga Patay/ (Day of the
Dead), /Todos Los Santos/ or /Undas/ (the latter two due to the fact that
this holiday is celebrated on November 1 , All Saints Day), and has more
of a "family reunion" atmosphere.^[17] Tombs are cleaned or repainted,
candles are lit, and flowers are offered. Entire families camp in
cemeteries, and sometimes spend a night or two near their relatives'
tombs. Card games, eating, drinking, singing and dancing are common
activities in the cemetery. It is considered a very important holiday by
many Filipinos (after Christmas and Holy Week ), and additional days are
normally given as special non-working holidays (but only November 1 is a
regular holiday).

Europe

In many countries with a Roman Catholic heritage, All Saints Day and All
Souls Day have long been holidays where people take the day off work, go
to cemeteries with candles and flowers, and give presents to children,
usually sweets and toys.^[18] In Portugal and Spain , /ofrendas/
(offerings) are made on this day. In Spain, the play /Don Juan Tenorio /
is traditionally performed. In Spain , Portugal , Italy , Belgium , the
Netherlands , France and Ireland , people bring flowers to the graves of
dead relatives and say prayers over the dead. 

In Poland ,^[19] Slovakia ,^[20] Hungary ,^[21] Lithuania ,^[22] Croatia
,^[23] Slovenia ,^[24] Romania ,^[25] Austria and Germany , the tradition
is to light candles and visit the graves of deceased relatives. In Tyrol ,
cakes are left for them on the table and the room kept warm for their
comfort. In Brittany , people flock to the cemeteries at nightfall to
kneel, bareheaded, at the graves of their loved ones, and to anoint the
hollow of the tombstone with holy water or to pour libations of milk on
it. At bedtime, the supper is left on the table for the souls.^[26]

Other similar cultural traditions

Many other cultures around the world have similar traditions of a day set
aside to visit the graves of deceased family members. Often included in
these traditions are celebrations, food and beverages, in addition to
prayers and remembrances of the departed.

The Bon Festival (*O-bon* (お盆, /*O-bon*/^? ) or only *Bon* (盆,
/*Bon*/^? ) is a Japanese Buddhist holiday to honor the departed spirits
of one's ancestors . This Buddhist festival has evolved into a family
reunion holiday during which people from the big cities return to their
home towns and visit and clean their ancestors' graves. Traditionally
including a dance festival, it has existed in Japan for more than 500
years. This holiday is three days in August.

In Korea , /Chuseok / is a major traditional holiday, also called Hankawi
(한가위,中秋节). People go where the spirits of one's ancestors are
enshrined, and perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning;
they visit the tombs of immediate ancestors to trim plants and clean the
area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors.

The Qingming Festival (traditional Chinese : 清明節; simplified Chinese
: 清明节; pinyin : qīng míng jié) is a traditional Chinese festival
usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar . Along with
Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese
calendar , it is a time to tend to the graves of departed ones. In
addition, in the Chinese tradition, the seventh month in the Chinese
calendar is called the Ghost Month (鬼 月), in which ghosts and spirits
come out from the underworld to visit earth.

During the Nepali holiday of /Gai Jatra/ ("Cow Pilgrimage") every family
where a family member died during the previous year makes a construction
of bamboo branches, cloth, paper decorations and portraits of the
deceased, called a "gai." Traditionally, a cow leads the spirits of the
dead into the next land. Depending on local custom, either an actual live
cow, or a construct representing a cow may be used. The festival is also a
time to dress up in costume, including costumes involving political
comments and satire.^[27]

In some cultures in Africa , visits to the graves of ancestors, the
leaving of food and gifts, and the asking of protection serve as important
parts of traditional rituals. One example of this is the ritual that
occurs just before the beginning of hunting season.^[28]

See also

* Ancestor worship 
* Danse Macabre 
* Ghost Festival 
* Halloween 
* Hispanic culture 
* Mardi Gras 
* Qingming Festival 
* Samhain 
* Santa Muerte 
* Thursday of the Dead 
* Walpurgis Night