Welcome to my annual Day of the Dead Celebrations in Mexico blog posting. I thoroughly enjoy this traditional holiday and hope you will enjoy also. So let's get started.
It's that time of the year again when I share my favorite holiday in Mexico which is the Dia de los Muertos festivities. I consider this national festival so very special that this is my sixth consecutive blog posting covering this annual tradition. Dia de los Muertos which translates to “Day of the Dead” is celebrated in Puerto Vallarta and throughout Mexico on November 1st and 2nd in honor of and in remembrance of those who have passed on.
The history of the holiday dates back to the time of the Aztecs. During this time the Aztecs would have a month-long summer celebration commemorating Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of
the Dead. After Spain conquered the Aztecs and spread Catholicism the tradition remained and it was slowly assimilated with the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day which is also celebrated on November 1st.
LINK TO 2018 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated by making beautiful altars in homes to attract the spirits of those who have died. The altar should have the favorite foods of the deceased and the four elements of nature represented in the altar: water, wind, fire, and earth. Families hold vigils, visit cemeteries of loved ones, and prepare delicious foods. Homes are typically adorned with photographs of those who have died.
In Mexico November 1st is for celebrating children and infants who have passed and November 2nd is to honor the adults who have passed. The official flower used to honor the dead is the marigold as the color yellow is similar to the sun which represents life and hope.
Marigolds are used to decorate altars in homes and at the burial site at the cemetery. Families of the deceased hold night-long vigils involving music, food, and libations. It is a time of remembrance and honor.
The basic belief behind Dia de los Muertos is that the human soul does not die. As such, while an individual may pass away, their soul can travel to and from this world and the afterlife allowing the souls of loved ones to visit. UNESCO declared Dia de los Muertos as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2003 and this proclamation was inscribed in 2008.
Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge, practices concerning nature and the universe, and the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
Dia de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated annually in many Latin American countries on November 1st & 2nd in honor of deceased family members and friends. However, the festivities differ in each country. Mexico celebrates with the building of ofrendas (altars) with personal mementos of the deceased and with offerings of the deceased favorites foods and libations. Cheers!
Guatemala, on the other hand, honors their departed loved ones by flying "barriletes gigantes" (giant kites) over cemeteries. Check out this amazing festival at the following blog link:
GUATEMALA: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS KITE FESTIVAL
And for those of you who might have missed some of my previous blog postings for the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico here you are. And I swear I only suffer from "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" in regards to this holiday.
LINK TO 2014 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
LINK TO 2015 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
LINK TO 2016 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING WITH CATRINAS
LINK TO 2017 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
LINK TO 2015 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
LINK TO 2016 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING WITH CATRINAS
LINK TO 2017 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
LINK TO 2018 DAY OF THE DEAD POSTING
Thank you for joining me for this very special annual holiday in Mexico. I hope you have enjoyed my sixth Day of the Dead posting and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future. Until then, I wish you well wherever your travels may take you. Saludos, Laura
And yes, I still have this shirt and will have to get it out to celebrate another Day of the Dead celebrations! Until next time, wishing you well with wonderful travels and adventures, Laura
