The wonderful tradition of Halloween is almost upon us which means Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations are also about to begin in Latin America. In recent years many of the traditions of Halloween are being incorporated in the more traditional festivities of Latin America and especially in Mexico. Having just returned from a weekly market excursion in Puerto Vallarta I was happy to see Halloween decorations and treats on display. The lines between cultures and traditions have definitely begun to blur in some of the larger communities of Mexico!
WELCOME TO DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATIONS IN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO! POSTING DATED: 2014
Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a holiday observed throughout Mexico, but also in many other cultures around the world. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.
Dia de los Muertos honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations, a typically Latin American custom that combines indigenous Aztec ritual with Catholicism which was brought to the region by Spanish conquistadors. In most regions of Mexico November 1 is the day to honor deceased children and infants whereas deceased adults are honored on November 2. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1 mainly as Día de los Inocentes ("Day of the Innocents"),but also as Día de los Angelitos ("Day of the Little Angels") and November 2 as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos ("Day of the Dead").
The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to pre-Colombian times. More than 500 years ago, when the Spanish Conquistadors landed in what is now central Mexico, they encountered the native population practicing a ritual that seemed to mock death. It was a ritual the indigenous people had been practicing at least 3,000 years. A ritual the Spaniards would try unsuccessfully to eradicate. A ritual known today as Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
In the pre-Hispanic era skulls were commonly kept as trophies and displayed during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the goddess known as the "Lady of the Dead", corresponding to the modern Catrina. Although the ritual has since been merged with Catholic theology, it still maintains the basic principles of the Aztec ritual such as the use of skulls.
Today people don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives. The wooden skulls also are placed on altars that are dedicated to the dead. Sugar skulls are made with the names of the dead person on the forehead, The Day of the Dead is a time for the dead to return home and visit loved ones, feast on their favorite foods and listen to their favorite music. In the homes, family members honor their deceased with ofrendas or offerings which may consist of photographs, bread, other foods, flowers, toys and other symbolic offerings.
Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Dia de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community. On Dia de los Muertos the dead are also a part of the community awakened from their eternal sleep to share celebrations with their loved ones.
People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and to build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls in order that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.
What a wonderful way to celebrate the lives of our dearly departed ones! I hope you can visit Mexico during the annual Dia de los Muertos celebrations and get caught up in the spirit and magic of the festivities! The photographs for this posting were taken over three sequential years in San Miguel de Allende during their Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
WELCOME TO GUATEMALA'S DIA DE LOS MUERTOS GIANT KITE FESTIVITIES! POSTING DATED 2013
After living in Mexico and loving the country and the experience, we decided it was time to spread our wings. We chose Guatemala as our next living destination. We had previously visited Guatemala during their incredible Semana Santa (Easter week) celebrations in the old capital of Antigua. The beauty of the country and the indigenous culture had intrigued us. We decided it was time to head south to Guatemala and what was to become the beginning our “nomadic life.” By luck we arrived in Guatemala just in time for their wonderful Dia de los Muertos (English: Day of the Dead) celebrations. We were in for a wonderful experience and one I wish to now share with you. So here we go to the All Saints Day Kite festival in Guatemala!
For centuries, rural communities throughout the highlands of Guatemala have celebrated with festivals featuring kites that carry messages to ancestors. The largest of these kite festivals occur in two communities near Guatemala City, Santiago Sacatepequez and Sumpango, on November 1st during the All Saints Day Kite Festival.
This uniquely Guatemalan tradition is based on the belief that the kites are able to convey messages that are tied to their tails to the spirits of the deceased loved ones. While smaller kites are flown throughout the day,by the local populace, the largest are exhibition kites which can range from eight to twelve meters and larger in diameter. These ‘barriletes gigantes’ (giant kites) provide a focal point for the festivities and their imagery may on occasion convey current political and moral messages.
The vibrantly colored designs on the kites more often than not depict religious or folkloric themes and are flown in honor of the dead. The kites are made of cloth and tissue paper on bamboo frames, Traditionally the building of the kites takes 40 days. On the first day the village's unmarried men head out to the coast to collect bamboo for the kite frames. Many other materials for the construction of the kites are also found in nature. The glue is a mixture of yucca flower, lemon peel, and water The ropes are made from the maguey plant. And the tails are made from hand woven cloth.
The Kite Festival of Santiago Sacatepéquez is about honoring the dead and communicating with them. The giant kites of Santiago Sacatepéquez are masterpieces that take great skill and patience to complete. Kite teams work for forty days to design and construct these amazing kite creations which are revealed for the first time in public at the cemetery on November 1st , Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). These kites bring team members great honor and respect from their peers and the community while honoring their deceased loved ones. There are prizes for best design, but for the winners, the cheers and admiration of the crowd are reward enough.
On the day of the festival, locals take their homemade traditional-sized kites to the nearby cemetery in Sacatepéquez which they fly in honor of their departed loved ones.. This tradition of flying colorful kites on Dia de los Muertos is derived from various religious practices, including Christianity, and locals believe it’s a way to communicate with the dead. It’s a happy celebration where people have fun and honor those who are no longer with them.
They are more a symbolic art form, prayers for God, and messages for those who have passed away. Actually taking to the skies is a wonderful bonus, but not a given expectation. What really matters to the participants and the observers is the beauty of the crafted designs and the intent behind them. The beauty of the kites is fleeting, but the show is incredible!
PLEASE GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR THE SPECIAL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ART BY PATRICK MURILLO: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ART
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| Copyright Patrick Murillo |
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| Copyright Patrick Murillo |
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| Copyright Patrick Murillo |
I remember hearing many years ago that a picture is worth a thousand words. Those words definitely contributed to and inspired me in the creation of MEXICO AND BEYOND: LAURA'S PHOTO JOURNEY. The following links take you directly to the originally published postings:
MEXICO: DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATIONS
GUATEMALA: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS GIANT KITES
You may scroll down to the bottom of this page in order to access the posting ARCHIVE and the FOLLOW BY EMAIL link to receive automatic posting notifications. I sincerely appreciate hearing from my readers with their questions, comments, and suggestions. Until then, gracias and safe travels! Laura
Memories are just a click away!
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