- Día de los Muertos-Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2.
Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday observed throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico where the day is a bank holiday. The celebration takes place on October 31, November 1 and November 2, in connection with the triduum of Allhallowtide: All Hallows' Eve, Hallowmas, and All Souls' Day. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas, honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. They also leave possessions of the deceased.Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festive ldedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world. In Brazil Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain there are festivals and parades and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.
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Someone has lots of talent when it comes to painting the skulls. The event is something I would really like to see in person.
ReplyDeleteA lot of countries remember their dead relatives these days. Those decorated skulls I haven't seen before.
ReplyDeleteI like what the day represents.
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
a neat tradition, even if a bit creepy. :)
ReplyDeleteYou found a bright display of skulls to commemorate the day!
ReplyDeleteThis is quite a holiday. Surprised it hasn't caught on in the States. We are SO about family and all that brings.
ReplyDeleteActually it has caught on in the states wherever there is a sizable Mexican community. The gringos look at death differently so I doubt that it ever will be as acceptable in the general population unless we change our cultural attitudes toward death. Long overdue!
DeleteThere is a restaurant in Scottsdale that has a whole collection of those colorful skulls on display in their entrance. They make quite a festive display.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful details on these skulls. It's not an idea that's really caught on in Canada.
ReplyDeleteCreative artwork. I saw a lot of faces painted along those lines for halloween this year.
ReplyDeleteThis was a big deal in California - lots of marigolds in particular.
ReplyDeleteI like the B&W skull.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very informative post, Kate. I know just about nothing about the Day of the Dead. Mexicans are not common in either Hartford or Naples. In Hartford, the predominant Hispanic group in Puerto Rican and in Naples the Hispanics seem to be from Central America, not Mexico. Then again, maybe I just don't go to the right places . . .
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