What Is the Day of the Dead and Where Is It Celebrated?

Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is much more than than Orange River flowers and decorated skulls. The holiday dates back to the Aztec empire and honors the dead.

Over 2,000 years ago, the Aztecs believed the spirits of their ancestors passed on to the underworld. When a love died, the Aztecs placed skulls on Aztec temples to honor the person and skulls still remain part of a tradition passed down concluded centuries.

Some are quick to equate the holiday to Halloween delinquent to the stained skulls and decorations, however the Day of the Dead has distinct customs and beliefs. The holiday has roots in Aztec and Catholic beliefs and is usually celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

The Day of the Dead:Details of the Aztec holiday to call back uncomprehensible adored ones, explained

Daylight of the Dead in the U.S.:Mexican celebration Day of the Dead goes mainstream in America

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, each year Amar de la Cruz heavily traveled to keep the holiday with her family in Mexico City. De lanthanum Cruz said the Aztecs and her indigenous family get wind death as something to be storied and often unleash monarch butterflies right after someone dies. She said the Aztecs believed the souls of the dead person returned as monarch butterflies or humming birds.

"Information technology's not Halloween and it's also not a holiday where we just paint skulls. We are honoring Catholic and Aztec traditions and we are celebrating great souls that died and moved on," De la Cruz told USA TODAY.

How is Day of the Dead illustrious?

The Aztecs had their own month-long Day of the Cold festival that inhumane during the month of August on their calendar. In the post-Spanish conquest era, the celebration was moved to November to coincide with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and Complete Souls Twenty-four hour period.

Over time, the Day of the Nonextant celebrations were infused with both Catholic and Aztec impost, according to Rebecca Cuevas, professor of Mexican studies at the University of Northerly Colorado.

The dead are often honoured with "ofrendas," operating room offerings, including candles, food, photographs and Mexican marigolds, known as cempasuchiles. Broad-minded symbols including crucifixes are a large divide of Día de los Muertos and celebrants offer Catholic prayers to honor the dead as well.

Cuevas said most Mexican families cook tamales, rice, and sweetbread rolls and place the meals near a table or a grave to memorialize their preferent one. The belief is that the dead person will "feast and be jocund" with the foods displayed.

"All flower, each repast and decoration is offered to honor our ancestors and those who have late died. The prayers and the offerings are a mix of our indigenous and religious beliefs," Cuevas told USA TODAY. "The meals and plans for Día de los Muertos is intended weeks before."

WHO is the 'lady of the dead'?

The grinning skull face many consociate with the 24-hour interval of the Dead in reality represents the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl. Mictecacihuatl is known atomic number 3 the "peeress of the dead" and was believed to rule the underworld and watch over the skeletons of the breathless, Cuevas aforementioned. The Aztec goddess's figure is articulate Mickey-tlan-teh-cuh-tli.

"She ruled the netherworld and in our history was often depicted with a smiling skull which is why you see so many painted and grinning skulls during the vacation. They comprise the goddess and dead soul souls," Cuevas said.

The Mictecacihuatl descent story goes something same this: She was sacrificed as an infant and grew into maturity in the underworld. She became the queen erst she married Mictlantecuhtli, the king.

She plays a huge role in the Day of the Dead traditions and is believed to be introduce at all gathering to recognize those who take up died.

What are common 'ofrendas' given?

Ofrendas are settled roughly a temporary worker altar for admired ones, the purpose is to honor the dead person and provide them with "items they call for for their travel," Cuevas said.

Families often place photos, drinks, food and personal items look-alike a scarf or shirt down on the communion table. Some include the four elements such as water, wind, earth and open fire to their ofrendas. Cuevas said families allow for water for the strong drink' thirst and papel picado, which is a traditional paper banner, to represent the wind. Food is in observ of the earth and candles are meant to be fire to light the way for the hard drink.

"My uncle died three years ago and as an ofrenda we successful his best-loved soup, placed bread and photo of his family at his altar. We oftentimes place large candles so his spirit can come up the way to the altar," De la Cruz said. "All our customs duty may sound zany but it's our manner of honoring those who ingest left."

It's not red carpet to hear bottles of tequila at altars or find marigold flowers on sidewalks thus spirits can feel their way to their families, Cuevas said.

"It's a beautiful holiday over cardinal days and IT's unlike I think any holiday Beaver State customs come out there. The ofrendas, the food and the connection to our ancestors is a powerful matter," Cuevas said. "For us information technology's more just a holiday or festival, it's sacred."

Follow Gabriela Miranda on Chirrup: @itsgabbymiranda

What Is the Day of the Dead and Where Is It Celebrated?

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2021/10/29/what-day-dead-when-holiday-catholic-roots/6192566001/

Share this post