Day of the Dead (Spanish. El Día de Muertos) – is one of the brightest and most original holidays in Mexico. Its roots go back to the pagan beliefs of the country's indigenous peoples and go back several millennia.
For example, in Aztec and Mayan life, the cult of Death and rituals dedicated to the veneration of deceased ancestors occupied a special place. These traditions were so strong that they not only continued after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and the Catholic Church on the American continent, but also organically integrated into the modern life of people.
UNESCO noted the uniqueness of this holiday in 2003, assigning it a special status and including it in the list of intangible cultural heritage.
Day of the Dead is celebrated for two days in a row, November 1st and 2nd. These dates coincide with two important Catholic holidays: All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). This proximity gave a special flavor to the holiday, in which mysticism and the attributes of paganism were mixed with symbols of Catholicism.
Another neighbor gives the Day of the Dead additional colors – Halloween (October 31).
Despite the similarity of the holidays, they differ significantly from each other in essence. Halloween is characterized by theatricality and tickling nerves from fear of otherworldly dark entities, while Day of the Dead among Mexicans – is a time to remember dead relatives and family traditions, as well as along the way – is an excellent occasion to laugh at Death and actively enjoy Life.
Turning the Day of the Dead into a real Holiday of Life – is very Mexican. To do this, you need to carefully prepare, and not just clean and decorate the house, but make a special altar. Main part of the altar – photographs of deceased family members and close friends. You need to remember no one, prepare a treat for everyone from your favorite dishes and drinks, and richly decorate the rest of the space with flowers, lit candles, and perforated paper with satirical scenes about Death. Additionally, it is important to add ritual sweets in the form of brightly colored skulls and a special rich bread for the dead.
The richer the altar and the more treats it contains, the favorite items of departed relatives –, the more likely it is that they will come on the Day of the Dead to communicate with you.
It is believed that on the night of October 31 to November 1, children's souls fly to the meeting, they have a kind of privilege to be longer with their family, and adults appear later, on the night of November 1st to 2nd.
But the most proven way for living and living family members to remind their ancestors of themselves – is to go to the cemetery, decorate the grave, bring a treat and remember their deceased relatives well, with soul. Strong drinks are not prohibited.
Most often, altars are set up at home, but it is not uncommon to see them in offices, in many public places and even on streets and squares. If you suddenly find yourself in the capital of Mexico, Mexico City, on the Day of the Dead, be sure to visit Zocalo, the central square, which these days looks like a huge richly decorated cemetery, and where many citizens come together to honor the memory of their ancestors.
Don't be surprised to see large numbers of orange marigolds everywhere. Marigolds or «sempasuchil», as they are called in the Aztec Nahuatl language, are not only native to Mexico, they are grown specifically for the Day of the Dead to decorate altars and graves in cemeteries and are considered a ritual flower.
But to feel the atmosphere of the Day of the Dead to the maximum, you definitely need to visit another part of the city of Mexico, the town of San Andres Mixquic. It is known for its special mystical celebration of the Day of the Dead, which continues without interruption from October 31 to November 2.
The night ceremonies, which take place under the burning of countless candles, are especially beautiful.
Mixkick – is a unique place where the traditions of the holiday have not been interrupted for centuries, and the first rituals of the Day of the Dead began to be held back in pre-Columbian times.
Read more about Day of the Dead and its traditions in the article «Mexico Inspiration: Day of the Dead» on the website of the magazine «Crealicum».