An Honor for Those Who are not Anymore With Us: Dia de Los Muertos
by MarÃa José González Cepeda
10°A
An Honor for Those Who are not Anymore With Us: Dia de Los Muertos
A celebration that is known all over the world, with large banquets and parties to remember those we love.
On November 2, according to the Catholic religion, El DÃa de Los Muertos is celebrated, commemorating, and praying for all those who have not reached heaven. On this date, El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day Of the Death) is celebrated, with altars, visits to graves, food, all being a way of remembering loved ones joyfully.
"The cult of life, if it is deep and total, is also a cult of death. Both are inseparable. A civilization that denies death ends up denying life." - Octavio Paz
How did it start?
Going back to pre-Hispanic times, the indigenous cultures of Mexico paid tribute to the deceased and their souls, they made small celebrations and preserved their skulls in honor form. As time passed, and with the arrival of the Spanish settlers to these lands, little by little, this indigenous ritual was fused with the Catholic ceremonies of All Souls Day. In this way, as the years passed, it became a celebration that would be known beyond the Mexican border.
What is done that day?
One of the most important things for this day is the altar that is made in the name of the deceased. Mostly done in the houses or the graves of the cemeteries, with the purpose to make the dead feel comfortable within this world. Also, there the offerings are left, so in that way, they are ready when the deceased arrive. The most common to find is some food, objects of the dead, and their favorite things along with some photographs, the last one with the belief of helping loved ones feel rejuvenated and loved.
Some of the most common offerings are:
Traditional incense (from pre-Hispanic rites).
Calendula flower, or other types of flowers.
Religious objects or images of a virgin.
The four elements of nature: water, earth, air, and fire.
In addition to this, skulls and Pan de Muerto are found in many places. The skulls are often decorated with the name of someone loved; these are decorating the altars, the houses, the tombs, which has been a way to represent continuous life. On the other hand, the Pan de Muerto is a way of representing people, being the circle that is on top, the skull, the linear shapes, the bones, and the base, and its flavor is the human body and its memory.
For this date, many visual references can be found, such as the Catrina, created by Jose Guadalupe Posada, in 1910, as a way of saying that we are all equal. That is why his famous phrase, "Death is democratic, since after all, güera [a person who has blond hair, or light skin], brunette, rich or poor, all people end up being skulls" when speaking of its creation. However, it did not become popular until 1947 when Diego Rivera painted it in a mural. Since then, it has been part of this great celebration.
How was this year celebrated?
Due to the current circumstances, people could not continue their tradition of visiting their loved ones in cemeteries. However, there were other creative ideas for this special date. Many families, instead of going to the cemetery and the graves of the relatives, decided to make their altars and celebrations at home.
Finally, although this is celebrated only once a year, it is well worth thinking that those loved ones who are not with us will always remain in our hearts. Likewise, as the movies Coco and El Libro de la Vida (The Book of Life) have said, we must enjoy every moment when we are alive.
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