Día de los Muertos
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is the celebration of those who have died (National Geographic). Practiced in much of Latin America, Día de los Muertos is most commonly associated with Mexican communities. Día de los Muertos was historically practiced over two days; November 1st was known as Día de los Inocentes, which celebrated children who had passed. Flowers such as white orchids and baby's breath are placed on the children's graves. November 2nd was known as Día de los Muertos, celebrating adults who had died by placing orange marigolds on their graves. Modern celebrations take place between October 31st and November 2nd, involving parades and parties with food and drink to celebrate the lives of those who have passed. The parties and parades are meant to celebrate the dead, stemming from the belief that the dead would be insulted if the day was spent in sadness.
How is it celebrated?
The day is decorated with altars, called ofrendas, that are meant to welcome the dead back into our world. The ofrendas often include water and food for those making the journey back to our world and pictures and candles for lost family members. Marigolds, or cempasúchiles (a type of marigold originating in Mexico and Latin America), like those found on graves, are also commonly found among the pictures, dishes, and candles on the ofrendas. Ofrendas are usually found in families' homes, but many are also set up in graveyards to guide souls back to their graves. Sometimes, the petals of cempasúchiles are strewn on the ground from the site of a loved one’s grave back to the family’s home as another way to guide the spirits (NPR 2021).
Many key items are associated with Día de los Muertos. Calaveras, or skulls, can be found on ofrendas, made of sugar and painted, or they can be painted onto faces of those celebrating. The skulls often appear happy, meant to show the dead enjoying life. Papel picado, or perforated paper, decorate homes and streets. These papers have holes that allow souls to travel and visit.
Día de los Muertos allows people to cope with loss. It accepts that death is a part of life, not something to be feared. Those who have lost loved ones are encouraged to celebrate the lives of those who have passed.
Traditional calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls) made for Día de los Muertos.
A typical example of a family's ofrenda.
The Impact of Día de los Muertos on the U.S.
Today, many cities within America have begun adopting Día de los Muertos traditions and celebrations. The most prominent cities with these major celebrations are Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Tucson, and Kansas City, all with the help of local museums and organizations (Cantu 2018). These American celebrations are filled with food, music and dance, altar contests, and Día de los Muertos poem readings. As the Latin community begins to find more acceptance and representation in cultural events, the amount of Día de los Muertos celebrations will no doubt increase all over the United States, and spread even farther.
Learn More
The National Hispanic Cultural Center's website on Día de los Muertos-you can learn more about Día de los Muertos or find events http://online.nationalhispaniccenter.org/dia-de-los-muertos.html
For more on the history of Día de los Muertos, you can visit the PBS webpage about the culture and history https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/beyond-sugar-skulls-the-history-and-culture-of-dia-de-los-muertos
Día de los Muertos was portrayed in the Disney movie Coco. An analysis of the film's accuracy can be found at The Smithsonian's website https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/did-disney-pixar-get-day-dead-celebrations-right-its-film-coco-180967286/
Works Cited
Cantu, Norma (2018). Altered altars: The changed traditions of Día de los Muertos. Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage. Retrieved from https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/altered-altars-changing-traditions-dia-de-los-muertos.
National Geographic. October 26, 2017. "Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead." Retrieved November 14, 2019 (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/mexico/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico/).
National Geographic Resource Library. "Día de los Muertos." Retrieved November 14, 2019 (https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/dia-de-los-muertos/).
Nalewicki, Jennifer. Smithsonian.com. "The Meaning Behind Six Objects on Día de los Muertos Altars." Retrieved November 14, 2019 (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/meaning-behind-six-objects-dia-de-los-muertos-altars-180973442/).
NPR. 2021. ‘The Special Role of Marigolds on the Day of the Dead,’ All Things Considered. Retrieved 6 December 2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/11/02/1051577559/the-special-role-of-marigolds-on-the-day-of-the-dead.