The Day of the Dead

We come here only to be born,
as our home is beyond where the fleshless abide.
-- Aztec poem

Every November 2nd Mexicans honor the dead with displays of the loved ones favorite food, drinks and personal belongings.  

The holiday originated from the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico that believed the souls of the dead returned to visit the living each year.  Drinking, eating and celebrating as they had when they were alive.  Although the conquistadors tried to eradicate the practice, their main achievement was moving the date of the celebration to coincide with the November 1st and 2nd celebration of all Saints and All Souls day. 

In the last few years Mexicans have been adopting The US holiday of  Halloween and adding it to their days of the dead.  Making a 3 day (if on a weekend a 5 day) holiday.  This is a big event in Mexico.  Banks, Government  offices, Construction and most manufacturing plants are closed On November 2nd.  Schools are closed for a period of 3-5 days depending on the schools and on what days of the week the 3 holidays fall.  You have to remember that they don't have a Thanksgiving vacation so this is the mid term vacation between September and Christmas.  

	This is a large Ofrenda to Cortez.  It is one of the two Ofrendas in the Palace de Cortez in Cuernavaca.  Most altars have a picture or pictures on the Altar of the deceased relatives of the family.  Most are not this large.  Normal size photos are spread out over the top of the altar.
T	This is a close up of the altar.  You can see the candy skulls, candles, fresh fruit and bowls of food.

Although it may seem morbid to outsiders, the festive atmosphere associated with the day of the dead dovetails with Mexicans accepting -- and often mocking -- attitude toward death.  As one sign in the Zocalo read;  "Every beat of the heart takes you closer to death".    

Nearby, a pile of skulls bore the message, "Although you don't think of death, death thinks of you every moment"

There are many types of Ofrenda. One in the Zocalo in Mexico City has Symbolic graves were etched with famous names from the past.  Silent film actor Charlie Chaplin lay next to Chilean Socialist Salvador Allende, 60's guitar legend jimi Hendriz rested next to the Mexican muralist David Siqueiros, and revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata abutted a plot with renowned poet Pablo Nerada... All dead none forgotten. 

El Dia de Muertos is rooted in an indigenous Mexican tradition and steeped in Catholicism. It is a day of decorated altars, dancing skeletons, skulls made of sugar, tiny coffins, gravesite visits and loaves of "Pan de Muertos" a sweet bread loaf coiled to look like bones or skulls.

"Mexicans have a sense of humor about death; it's as if they laugh in the face of death," . The celebration stands in direct contrast to the fear many Americans have of death.

"Death is seen as a transition from one life to another. That is a very Christian perspective. This is something that the Hispanic community can teach us. Their perspective is rooted in faith."

 

This is the second ofrenda at the Palace de Cortez.  This one has two smaller photos on the alter.  You can also see the orange flowers (which is kind of strange that they have the same color as Halloween)

This is the street leading to the Main Cemetery in Cuernavaca.  Here 5 or 6 Vendors have set up shop to sell flowers to those visiting the graves of loved ones.  Note that almost all the flowers are either orange or red.  One the day befor and on the day of the dead there is a horrible traffic jam on this street and the corner where it goes out into a busy city street.  Traffic is backed up for miles.

Here are some symbols seen during the annual celebration:      

• Ofrenda:  Offerings set out for the returning souls. It also refers to an altar of offerings.
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• Calaca: The Grim Reaper, a skeleton figure representing death. A dressed or dancing skeleton is also called flaco (skinny), huesudo (bony) and tiznada (burnt bones), and is a symbol of harmless fun.
• Calaveras de azucar: Little skulls made of sugar. They are used to decorate ofrendas or are personalized and exchanged like Valentine's Day cards.
• Pan de Muertos: Bread of the Dead, a slightly sweet loaf with coils depicting bones or skulls. Many bakeries come up with their own artful creations.
• Mole: A rich dark, spicy sauce that is typically served with chicken. It is flavored with a bit of Mexican chocolate. There are many varieties of this sauce, and plates of chicken mole are often offered for the spirits.
• Zenpasuchitl: A bright orange and yellow marigold. The traditional flower of the dead, it is used to decorate ofrendas.
• Copal: A resin from the copal tree. It is used to bless the ofrenda and drive away evil spirits.

       And last but not least.. Here is a link to a web site with tons of info on how to make or buy the sugar skulls used in the day of the dead celebrations.

       http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/