Day of the Dead
This year’s event will be held on
Sunday, November 6.
Rather than a time of mourning, El
Día de Los Muertos—observed
every October 31 to November 3—
is a celebration of life and death,
when the spirits of the dearly
departed returns to earth for a
family fiesta.
Here at Escuelita, we like to give
the children and families a chance
to experience and participate in
this very special holiday.
History
Morethan500yearsago,whentheSpanishConquistadorslandedinwhatisnowMexico,theyencounterednatives
practicingaritualthatseemedtomockdeath.Itwasaritualtheindigenouspeoplehadbeenpracticingatleast
3,000years.AritualtheSpaniardswouldtryunsuccessfullytoeradicate,aritualknowntodayasDíadeLos
Muertos.
PreviouslyitfellontheninthmonthoftheAztecSolarCalendar,approximatelythebeginningofAugust,andwas
celebratedfortheentiremonth.FestivitieswerepresidedoverbythegoddessMictecacihuatl.Thegoddess,
knownas"LadyoftheDead",wasbelievedtohavediedatbirth.TheSpaniardsmovedthisholidaysoitcoincided
withAllSaints'DayandAllSouls'Day(Nov1and2),whichiswhenitiscelebratedtoday.Thesuccessofthe
Spaniard'sspiritualconquestinMexicowasdueinparttotheirwillingnesstoincorporatecertainpre-Hispanic
ritualsintoChristianpractice.
Today,DayoftheDeadiscelebratedinMexicoandincertainpartsoftheUnitedStatesandCentralAmerica.But
youdon'thavetobeMexicanorHispanictoparticipate.WhiledeathisatopiclargelyavoidedintheUSA,the
remembranceofdeceasedancestorsandlovedonesistraditionalamongdiverseculturesaroundtheworld,often
markedbylightingcandlesorlampsandlayingoutofferingsoffoodanddrink.Suchcelebrationscanbetraced
backasfarastheglorydaysofancientEgyptwhendepartedsoulswerehonoredduringthegreatfestivalof
Osiris.
Inagriculturalsocietiesthereisalwaystheideathatifyouhavelife,youalsohavedeath.Theconceptofcycleor
circleoflifeisprevalentinmanynativeandindigenouspeoplesaroundtheworld.UnliketheSpaniards,who
vieweddeathastheendoflife,thenativesvieweditasthecontinuationoflife.Insteadoffearingdeath,they
embracedit.Tothem,lifewasadreamandonlyindeathdidtheybecometrulyawake."Thepre-Hispanicpeople
honoreddualityasbeingdynamic,"saidChristinaGonzales,seniorlectureronHispanicissuesatArizona
University."Theydidn'tseparatedeathfrompain,wealthfrompovertyliketheydidinWesterncultures".
RenownedMexicanwriterOctavioPazobservesthat,undauntedbydeath,theMexicanhasnoqualmsabout
gettingupcloseandpersonalwithdeath,notingthathe"...chasesafterit,mocksit,courtsit,hugsit,sleepswithit;
itishisfavoriteplaythingandhismostlastinglove."
InMexico,angelitosorlittleangels/innocentonesreturntothecelebrationbeginningatmidnightonOctober
31st.BymidnightonNov1thechildrenhavegoneandthesoulsofdepartedadultsbegintoreturntothefeastat
thealtarswiththeirfavoritefoods.
DíadeLosMuertosisacelebrationofexpressioninmanyways.Notonlyisitdedicatedtorememberingand
honoringthosethathavepassedbeforeus,itisalsocentrallyfocusedontheartisticexpressionoftheliving
throughthecreationofofrendas(altars),costumes,cookingandcrafts.Itisanopportunitytoparticipateinan
ancientyetveryalivetradition.
OurCelebration
EachyearhereatEscuelitawebuildanddecorateanofrendatogether.Wecutandcraftpaperbanners,and
flowers.ThetraditionalflowerofDíadeLosMuertosisthegoldenbrightmarigold,calledcempazutchil.
Thepungentsmellofthisflowerisalsothoughttohelpleadthedeadtotheirfiesta.
WealwaysmakeabigbatchofPandeMuertos,orbreadofthedeadandabigbatchofcho-co-la-te(hot
chocolate)willbebrewing.Welightcandles;wesingsongs.TraditionalMexicanfoodisservedandwedecorate
sugarskullswitheachofournameswrittenonthem.
Thisomnipresentskullorcalacaisanancientsymbolofdeathandrebirth.UnlikeHalloween'sskeletons,these
prototypical,dancingskeletonsarenotmacabreorscary,butrathertheyarewhimsicalandmocking.Jose
GuadalupePosadaistheartistresponsibleforpopularizingthedancingskeletonsyouseehereandnumerous
otherimages.Hediedin1913,buthisimagesareanintegralpartofthecelebrationstilltoday.Skeletalfigures
werealwaysapartoftheDayoftheDeadbutPosadamadethemcomealiveinhumorousandoftenpoliticalway
thathasenduredthetestoftime.HisCatrinafigure,anupper-classladyofthelate19thcenturywhosefaceand
plumedhatyouseesooftenaroundthistimeofyear,neverseemstogooutofstyle.
Wereallyencouragealltheparentsandfamiliestohelpusdecorateouraltarbybringinginphotosofadeceased
lovedone,perhapsobjectsthatremindyouofthemormaybeafavoritedrinkorfood.
“Must I go like the flowers that perish?/ Will nothing remain of my name?
Nothing of my fame here on earth?/ At least my flowers, at least my songs!
Earth is the region of the fleeting moment.”
Pre-HispanicNahuatlPoem