OVERVIEW: Día de los Muertos is a Latin American festival celebrating the death of loved ones. The holiday is a fusion of indigenous practices and Catholic colonial influences. The vibrant art, the colorful traditions and the joyous occasion inspire many in and beyond Mexico.
Celebrating the Unforgotten
All around the Catholic world, the first and second of November are reserved for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (or Día de Todos los Santos and Día de las Ánimas in Spanish) to mourn the loss of loved ones. However in many Latin American communities, and most notably Mexican communities, these two days are a celebration of the lives lost, known as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Mexican tradition of the religious observance is a joyous and vibrant occasion to commemorate the lives lived by those who have passed away. It is also distinct from other celebrations of the saints and souls, as it fuses indigenous traditions and colonial religious beliefs. In the pockets of Mexico, with large indigenous populations, the carnivalesque ritual performance and artistic displays break away from the ideals imposed by colonialism.
When confronted with death many are overcome with sadness and fear, but Dia de los Muertos faces death with a smile and remembrance of the great moments that have happened and are waiting to happen. As Octavio Paz expressed in El laberinto de la Soledad, “The word death is not pronounced in New York, Paris, or London, because it burns the lips. The Mexican, by contrast is familiar with death, jokes about it, caress it, sleeps with it, celebrates it,” (Sayer, 105). This upbeat and sacred festival allows the living to interact with the souls of their loved ones, as the barrier between the natural and supernatural world vanishes. The festivities inside and outside of the home express the sorrow and great pleasure to reunite families and friends.
Aztec and Indigenous Influences
In Mesoamerican myth, Quetzalcoalt, the creator god, had lost his footing and accidentally dropped the bones of the first human on Earth. He had to pick them up and with the help of Ghuacoatl, the Earth goddess, he fertilized the bones to create the human race. However, these mortals were faulty because the bones were damages from the drop. The gods feeling sympathetic did penance and ever since, human owed the gods equal penance (Carmichael, 25). The Aztecs, who came into power in 1325, celebrated and honored the gods in many festivals through the year (Sayer, 103). For example, the Aztecs would celebrate Miccailhuitontli (“Little Feast of the Dead”) and Miccailhuitl (“Great Feast of the Dead”), which are festivals that have many similarities with the current Día de los Muertos (Carmichael, 28). During such occasions, they would give offerings to the dead and the gods to preserve their life force. It was thought that without nourishment, the sun would not have the energy to rise. However, the Aztecs did not conceptualize death as a frightful end, but as a part of the cycle of creation and destruction (Sayer, 106). Depending on how one died, their soul will travel to a greater realm. For example, warriors, who died in war, would follow the sun god, Tonatiuh, in the mornings for four years. After this period, the warriors would become hummingbirds, which were seen as the the Messengers of the Gods (Haley, 1). Women who died during childbirth were also seen as warriors and would follow Tonatiuh in the afternoon. The souls of most people would travel for four years to reach Mictlan, the Place of Death, ruled by the death gods, Mictlantechtli and Mictecacihuatl (Sayer, 106-107). In Mictlan, the spirits can rest and wait until they can visit their relatives (Andrade, 12). The afterlife was filled with tranquility and no human suffering (Marchi, 15). The Aztecs commemorated their dead loved ones through various festivities and in towns with a strong connection to the indigenous community. In those communities,vmany pre-Hispanic customs are currently practiced for Día de los Muertos.
Colonial and Christian Influences
Before Spaniards stepped a foot on the Aztecs’ land, the festivities celebrating the gods and the dead would last for a month around the time of harvest (Sayer, 12). However in 1520, Spanish conquistadores brought with them their Christian ideologies (Sayer, 6). Unlike the Aztecs and other indigenous groups, the Christian belief of death was based upon the morals of an individual. Since the end of the thirteenth century, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day were observed as Catholic holidays mourning the dead on November first and second (Carmichael, 15). Missionaries were invited to convert the Mesoamerican population, but quickly realized that the natives’ religious practices closely resembled Catholic rituals (Carmichael, 38). For example, the indigenous people practiced similar rituals of baptism and communion. A Dominican friar named Diego Durán expressed the likeness between the Aztecs’ rituals for the dead and the celebration of All Souls’ and All Saints’ days (Marchi, 15). There were also similarities between the Aztecs’ gods and Catholic saints (Haley, 136). It is suspected that missionaries and friars would use the parallels between both systems of beliefs to convert the natives (Carmichael, 40). For a period of time, many would pray to Tonantzin, the Aztec mother goddess and the Virgin Mary. Experts on Día de los Muertos call the fusion between the Aztec traditions and Catholic practices a syncretism of cultures. However, some regions of Mexico use Día de los Muertos folk lore to express the disapprove of colonization. For example, the island of Janitzio is known for a heartbreaking legend of King Tzintzicha’s daughter, Mitzita, and Prince Itzihuapa. After the conquistadors captured Mitzita’s father, Prince Itzihuapa tried to obtain treasure from the bottom of the lake to exchange as ransom but was overwhelmed by the shadows that protected the treasure and drowned. Mitzita and Prince Itzihuapa were forever separated because of the merciless actions of the Spaniards (Andrade, 30). After colonization, the festival became a two day celebration on All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day.
The Private Ceremony
How people celebrate Día de los Muertos varies based on region, but for many groups the private sector of the holiday is vital. Many will start their preparations a few days before, if not weeks before the beginning of November. Living friends and family may make the trip back home and the host of these gatherings would go to the market to buy the necessities, such as candles, flowers, and pan de muertos (Haley, 36). On October 31, some may start the festivities early by performing a muerteada, or a walk of the dead, in which they stop at various homes to sing and recite calaveras, joking poems that usually mocked the living (Haley, 82). Calaveras have become an entertaining aspect of Día de los Muertos that many regions print in their papers as satirical obituaries for the living.
However, the most important aspect of the private sector is the alter and the ofrenda for the deceased. In each household, altars are built for the arrival of the spirits, as it is decorated with items of their liking. In some regions, like Oaxaca, Mexico, it is the responsibility of the man of the household to construct the altar (Haley 64). For the most part, the altar is made from a readily-available table, which the man may add more shelves or layers to add dimensions to the altar and a frame will be added to finish the structure. After, the altar will be decorated with a white cloth, flowers, fruits, candles, papeles picador, and photographs of religious Catholic figures and of the deceased (Haley, 64-65). Items of an ofrenda, an offering, will be placed on the altar. Food offerings are always seen on each altar. The families cook food that the deceased enjoyed during their lifetime, which creates an aroma that reminds the family of this person. Bread is one of the biggest food categories present during this celebration, especially pan de muertos (bread of the dead). Since it can be cooked in different shapes and sizes, families seem to really enjoy creating a unique piece of bread for their spirits. Just like an altar in a church, candles and candlesticks are also very important to this presentation. They create a sense of relaxation and reflection among the family members. Miniature toys and skeleton reproductions are another big factor when it comes to decorating the altars. These represent the spirits by the way they are painted and dressed. These symbolize the spirits and the role they had during their lifetime in all different kinds of walks of life. Key elements put on or around the altars are either bought in the market place or personally created by the family. All of the objects obtain an aura of sacredness when they are displayed in the household altars because they are symbolic to the spirits being welcomed back by their families (Brandes “Sugar”, 276). The altar and ofrenda serve as an element that strengthens the relationship between the living and deceased relatives (Brandes, 19). The communities do not believe the souls will consume the items of the ofrenda, but that the thought the family put into it would fill them (Carmichael, 21). Only after the spirit nourished itself from the essence of the items, can the family take their share of the offering (Carmichael, 21; Brandes, 19).
On November first, many families will use cempasúchil, the flower of the dead, to make a path from the altar to the front door of the home and sometimes from the home to the grave, to guide the soul to the ofrenda and family (Carmichael, 18). During the day, the family will gather to eat and update each other on the new things in their lives. Others from the town will stop by, bring items to add to the ofrenda and conversation will continue as they come and go (Haley, 89). The private sector of the day is meant to gather the family and peacefully commemorate the lives of all loved ones.
The Public Sector
November second tends to be the day the community gathers at the cemetery to perform the public offerings. Masses and cemetery vigils are categorized under the public sector of Día de los Muertos. Masses are held on both days for the souls in purgatory so they can attain final purification and move onto heaven. The masses are the main contribution made by the Roman Catholic influence but it takes away from the celebration process. They are seen as the least salient part of the two days because it takes away from the upbeat atmosphere present during this weekend. As a result, Mexicans see this more as a holiday than holy days, which moves away from what the colonial influence was trying to accomplish. Some regions completely separate the Roman Catholic beliefs from Día de los Muertos all together. Cemetery vigils are another key aspect in understanding Día de los Muertos. These vigils, during day or night, do not have the same humorous outlook as the rest of the celebration but it is still not a time for sadness or mourning. “Mexicans clean, decorate, and maintain vigil over the graves of relatives. Tombstones and burial sites are adorned with flowers and food, all aesthetically arranged in honor of the deceased” (Brandes “Sugar” 270). Cleaning, repairing, and decorating headstones are an important aspects of respecting the deceased. As said before, the men are usually responsible for the construction of a frame for adorning the graves but women are responsible for cleaning and decorating the graves (Haley, 107). Like the altars at home, the cemetery will be embellished with flowers and candles; some individuals would goes as far as to create detailed images of religious figures with colorful sand (Haley, 107). For some communities, the public offerings and attention of the tombs somewhat become a competition among the neighbors but for the most part the community strengthens its relationship among one another (Carmichael, 23). For the deceased who no longer have anyone to attend to their graces, called the olvidados (the forgotten), the members of the community will place flowers and decorate to make sure no one is left out of the celebration (Haley, 112). After the graves are attended on, the families will gather, children will play, and the area will be filled with talking, laughing and eating (Haley, 108). The festivities may continue with fireworks and/or parades until the sun sets.
Skulls and Skeletons
When one first imagines Día de los Muertos, imagery of skulls and skeletons immediately come to mind. The impact of the images on the holiday established its importance from both the conquistador and native background. The Aztecs and Mayans depicted death and their gods of death with skeletons. European medieval art also used bones to portray the dead (Carmichael, 126; Haley, 134). Skull shaped candies were introduced to the Aztecs by the Spaniards, but such treats date up to the twelfth century (Marchi, 15). Throughout Mexican culture, skulls, and calaveras were used as political satire in newspapers and literature to make fun of the living and the current issues surrounding the country (Sayer, 120). However, it was not until the Mexican Renaissance that the images of dressed skeletons was popularized by José Guadalupe Posada (Sayer, 120). His most well known work, La Calavera Catrina, illustrates a servant girl in an fancy dress; it has become an icon for the holiday (Sayer, 120). Posada creates art work that would largely be accepted as representation of Día de los Muertos, as he would dress the skeletons in modern Mexican clothing to mockingly detail the day to day life of the living (Carmichael, 58). The morbid symbolism of skulls and skeletons were not feared but were used as imagery to satirically view the world.
Celebration in Other Parts of the World
Although Día de los Muertos is generally known as a Mexican fiesta, it did not become a national celebration until the 1970’s when the country pushed it as a tourist attraction. In fact, many Latin American countries and communities partake in festivities of their own (Marchi, 16-17). For example, Guatemala celebrates All Souls’ and All Saints’ day with parades, repainting the cemetery tombs, and the Dead Kite-flying performance. Guatemalans construct large kites to fly over the cemeteries to help the spirits find their way back to earth. Guatemala, and other countries such as, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru all have their own ceremonial rituals honoring the dead on the same days, which go unseen because on the lack of exposure to these communities (Marchi, 16 – 20). As large groups of Latin American communities form in the United States, celebrations such as Día de los Muertos are extravagantly performed in many pockets of the country bringing parts of their home and culture to the States (Marchi, 5).
Halloween and Día de los Muertos
Although Halloween and Día de los Muertos, developed separately from one another, many people wonder how closely related them are to each other because these holidays are celebrated on back-to-back days. Both are based on the religious background of Christianity, however, Halloween has now been modernized and is more seen as a fun festival recognized universally. During these holidays ritualized begging is very significant, mostly from children. Día de los Muertos brings together the whole community, adults and children, to celebrate and recognize the loved ones that have gone on to the afterlife. There is a cultural aspect to this celebration and it contributes to the Mexican national identity. Halloween on the other hand is more separated when it comes to the community. It is more of a children’s holiday while All Saints and All Souls Day are more focused on appealing to adults. As a result, Halloween doesn’t mean much to Americans other than the free candy and the economic benefits it brings to the table. The commercialization of this holiday has taken away from the idea behind Halloween, which is the appreciation in the afterlife right before All Saints Day. Día de los Muertos means a lot more to Mexicans than Halloween does to Americans. However, both are becoming prevalent in the opposing countries and the Mexican people are not happy about this. They claim Halloween is taking away the meaning behind Día de los Muertos and the cultural significance it has to the Mexican national identity (Brandes “Day of the Dead” 372-377).
Discussion Questions
- Can Día de los Muertos really be considered as a fusion of Roman Catholic beliefs and indigenous practices if many are distancing the two and trying to reclaim the holiday with native traditions?
- As Latin American communities continue to grow in other parts of the world, how do you think the rituals and practices of Día de los Muertos will conflict with the modern Western structure?
- Is it possible that Día de los Muertos will continue to be a tool of resisting further colonization or as a tool to promote tourism?
Work Cited
Andrade, Mary J. A Través De Los Ojos Del Alma, DÃa De Muertos in Mexico. Through the Eyes of the Soul, Day of the Dead in Mexico. San Jose, CA: La Oferta Review Newspaper, 1999. Print.
Carmichael, Elizabeth, and Chloë Sayer. The Skeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead in Mexico. Austin: U of Texas, 2006. Print.
Brandes, Stanley. “Sugar, Colonialism, and Death: On the Origins of Mexico’s Day of the Dead.” Comparative Studies in Society and History Vol. 39, No. 2 (1996): 270-299. Web.
Brandes, Stanley. “The Day of the Dead, Halloween, and the Quest for Mexican National Identity.” The Journal of American Folklore Vol. 111, No. 442 (1998): 359-380. Web.
Brandes, Stanley. Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead:. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Pub., 2008. Print.
Haley, Shawn D., and Curt Fukuda. Day of the Dead: When Two Worlds Meet in Oaxaca. New York: Berghahn, 2004. Print.
Marchi, Regina M. Day of the Dead in the USA the Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2009. Print.
Sayer, Chloë. Fiesta: Days of the Dead & Other Mexican Festivals. Austin: U of Texas, Published in Co-operation with the British Museum, 2009. Print.
Images and Videos
McGrath, Ted. “2014 – Chihuahua City – Dia De Los Muertos 1 of 2.” Flickr. Yahoo!, 16 Dec. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. https://www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/15852734267
Cesarachp. Calaveritas de dulce. 1 November 2012. Mexico.
Mike Corey. “DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE 2016 MEXICO CITY.” YouTube. YouTube, 29 Oct. 2016. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
Unotvbites. “El Origen Del Día De Muertos.” YouTube. YouTube, 25 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.
Luisroj96. Dia de muertos Altar religioso. 28 October 2012.
Rodsj29. Panteon San Jeronimo. 2 November 2012. Mexico.
“Free Image on Pixabay – Day Of The Dead, Mexico, Skull.” Free Photo: Day Of The Dead, Mexico, Skull – Free Image on Pixabay – 568012. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. https://pixabay.com/en/day-of-the-dead-mexico-skull-568012/
