El Dia de los
Muertos
By: Jadey Richie
Kym Ackley
Sara House
History/Origin
The Aztecs and other Mexican natives have
been conducting rituals for the Day of the
Dead since before the Spanish discovered
them. The natives believed that death was
only a continuation of life. The dead would
then visit during the ritual that lasted all of
the ninth month (our August).
Who Celebrates The Day of the Dead?
The day of the dead is celebrated throughout
Mexico as well as other parts of the world
along with the United States though it's mostly
celebrated in the states with high Mexican
immigration populations such as Texas,
Arizona, and California.
Where and When is the Day of the
Dead Celebrated?
The Day of the Dead is celebrated in public
and private places, though mostly in homes
and graveyards. It takes place on November
1st and 2nd.
What Music Do They Listen To?
Purpose of the celebration
The Day of the Dead is meant to honor the
dead and the life that they lived. Some early
participants used it to give meaning to human
existence.
Special Traditions
Many people have special traditions when they
celebrate El Dia De Los Muertos. The most
common are: Building and decorating an altar
with offerings, visiting, cleaning, and
decorating gravesites, telling stories about the
deceased, and making special foods.
What Do People Eat?
There are many different foods associated with El Dia De
Los Muertos.From sweets to bread to strange nasty drinks,
everyone has to eat.
● Pan de Muerto-A sweet, sugary bread shaped into
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bones and often placed at the altar. Usually covered in
powdered sugar
Candied Pumpkin- Pumpkin slices covered in glaze and
eaten by the family
Atole- a hot masa gruel for returning/leaving spirits
Sugar Skulls- Sugar Mixture pressed into molds and
dried, decorated with paint, flowers, feathers,
feathers, and sequins
The Altars- Los Altares
Most altars take at least a week to build, and
some families have professionals come in and
build huge, elaborate altars. They usually
have at least two tiers, sometimes more, and
are covered in pictures, food, drink, toys, and
other offerings for the deceased.
Los Altares
Dead People Picnic
Usually, the whole family will go to the
cemetery with flowers, food, blankets, and
other decorations for the grave. More often
than not, it turns into an all day picnic in the
graveyard. Then, that night, everyone lights
candles and sings songs about dead people.
Storytelling
The stories told about the deceased are called
calaveras. They are usually funny, and
occasionally make fun of them when they
were living. It is believed that the dead don't
want to be remembered in a sad light, so they
don't tell sad stories.
A Little Bit O' Randomness
● A popular figure of the Day of the Dead
celebrations that take place in Mexico is a
catrina - a skeletal female vision that usually
wears elaborate hats upon her head and is often
seen carrying a bouquet of flowers
● November 1 honors children and infants.
Deceased adults are honored on November 2.
● Sugar skulls have the name of the deceased on
the forehead, and are eaten by a relative or
close friend. It's almost like cannibalism.
Vocabulary Words
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Calavera- a skull
Angelitos- the souls
of the children who
have died,"little
angels"
Calacas- whimsical
skeleton figures
that represent
death
Calaveritas de
azucar- sugar skulls
Golletes- a
doughnut shaped
bread, glazed with
pink colored sugar
and placed on the
altar
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Copalli- a scented
resin used to make
incense
Cempazuchitl- a
yellow marigold, the
symbol of death
Atole- an ancient
drink made from
cornmeal and water
and flavored with
fruit
Calaveras- songs and
poems about the
festival
Iluminacion- a
ceremony that takes
place in the
cemetery, where
candles are lit to
guide the souls to
their altars
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Arco- a decorated arch
sometimes placed on
graves
Alfenique- a special
connection used to
fashion skulls, fruits, and
other figures
Careta- a mask worn by
dancers used to scare the
dead away at the end of
the celebration
Ofrenda- an offering,
refers to the goods on the
altars
Mole- a thick sauce made
from a variety of
ingredients including
chilis, sesame seeds,
herbs, spices, chocolate
and fruit.
Mexican Halloween?
Nope. The Day of the Dead isn't really like any
holidays Americans celebrate. In fact, the Day
of the Dead and Halloween have very little in
common. However, this practice is similar to
Americans leaving flowers by a relative's
grave.
Questions?
1. Who is known to have first celebrated el Dia de los
Muertos?
2. On what days is it celebrated?
3. What are the main activities?
4. Why do people celebrate this holiday?
5. What are some of the food/drinks?
Bibliography
Miller, Carlos. Day of the Dead history: Indigenous people wouldn't let the 'Day of the
Dead' die. The Arizona Republic.
Herz, May. (1999). Day of the Dead: Celebration, History, & Origins. Day of the DeadEl Dia de Muertos.
McArdle, Thaneeya. (2010). Day of the Dead Facts. Celebrate Day of the Dead.
Glossary. AZCentral.
Kenyon, Chelsie. Dia de los Muertos "Day of the Dead". About.com Guide
On a Somewhat Related Side Note....