![]() This lovely thought is tied to the arrival of the first monarchs in Mexico each fall, at the start of the holiday on Nov. if you wish to have a picture on our altar, please bring a photo with you or contact Jessica Reyes at Monarch butterflies play a unique role in celebrations of Día de los Muertos because they hold the spirits of the departed. Water is often presented in a pitcher, so the spirits can quench their thirst. Candles light the way and can be placed in the form of a cross, which indicates the cardinal directions. Wind is represented by traditional paper banners, called Papel picado. An ofrenda must include the four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. It is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they need on their journey from the spirit world. The ofrenda has always been an important part of the celebration, and today the alter is perhaps the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. Her fancy dress and hat, along with her white makeup, have been an integral part of the holiday ever since.ģ. The famous La Calavera Cantina (the Elegant Skull) was created as a political statement by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1910. Simple sugar skulls, with just icing, are eaten and enjoyed by children of all ages. Sugar skulls that are decorated with colored icing, (and often feathers and foil) are placed on offrendas. Elaborately decorated ceramic and papier-mâché skulls are worn throughout the festivities. Calaveras, or skulls, are a unique symbol of Día de los Muertos. El Día de los Muertos is not, as is commonly thought, a Mexican version of Halloween although the holidays do share traditions, including wearing costumes and marching in parades.Ģ. Seven Things You Should Know About Día de los Muertosġ. You should wish someone a happy day by saying, “ Feliz día de los Muertos.” Brightly colored marigolds-called cempasuchil-are spread on the alter to guide the souls with their enticing fragrance. Ofrendas are decorated with candles to light the path back to the living. They prepare their favorite foods and leave them as offerings on the ofrendas (alters) built in their homes, as well as at gravesites. The living honor the deceased as guests in the celebrations. On Día de los Muertos, the border separating the real world from the spirit world dissolves, and the souls of the dead awaken, returning to eat and drink, dance, and play music with their family and friends. The cycle of life and death are entwined with the annual cycle of crops that grow from the ground where the remnants of the last harvest have been turned under and nurture the soil. In Europe, celebrations of the harvest took place in the fall, and the rituals were adopted as part of two Roman Catholic holidays-All Saints Day and All Souls Day-celebrated on the first two days of November. The roots of Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, go back more than 3,000 years in Europe, Spain, and to the Aztecs who lived in rural, indigenous areas of what is now central Mexico. A History of this Unique 3,000-year-old Celebration of Life
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