In Latin America it is tradition to have a day that celebrates the passing of family, friends, and loved ones. This day is known as El Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, and begins being celebrated on October 31st and continued on to November 1 as a day to remember children who have passed away, and on November 2nd to honor adults. Many homes and towns are vibrating with color. El Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the life, “a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community” (National Geographic). Ancient Mesoamericans believed that death was part of the journey of life, rather than death ending life, they believed that new life came from death (Anderson). Indeed, the dead are viewed as being apart of the community and get to spend the night reunited and celebrating with their loved ones.
On this exceptional day full of sugar skulls, marigolds and monarch butterflies, the departed are commemorated with a multitude of rituals such as prayers, chants, and music (Espinoza). Families make offerings to the spirits of their loved ones who have died and leave them at their grave sites or place them on makeshift altars at home. Additionally, people tend to clean and decorate the grave sites with vivid color flowers, sweet smelling candles, and alluring wreaths. Not only are cemeteries decorated but people dress up as ghosts and skeletons, and have festive paradas.The most unmistakable symbol of Dia de los Muertos may be the calacas y calaveras, skeletons and skulls, which show up wherever in the midst of the event. For example, in improved treats, as parade shroud, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are regularly delineated as getting a charge out of life, every now and again in excessive articles of clothing and connecting with circumstances (NG).
Often in other countries visiting gravesites is not ideal because during the evening they may be closed. For this reason, it is progressively normal for families to set up special raised areas in their homes known as ofrenda. For instance, In Albuquerque’s south valley the Marigold march and festivity at the West Side Community Center is one such occasion (NPR). The ofrenda is regularly the most perceived image of Día de los Muertos. This transitory raised area is a route for families to respect their friends and family and give them what they require on their adventure. Families put down photos of the people that have passed away, alongside critical things that had a place with them and items that fill in as a notice of their lives.
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Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire (Npr). Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel picado, or traditional paper banners, represent the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way. Nourishment put on the special raised area comprises of the friends and family most loved dishes and treats. Beverages ought to be put in the special raised area to extinguish the thirst of the dead after their long voyage back home. In numerous towns it is standard to offer mixed drinks. Salt is viewed as the zest of life and is one the staples that are frequently left at the special stepped area. The aromas of marigolds and in addition consuming copal, a tar of the copal tree, are believed to be most darling by the spirits of the dead and welcome them back home.
More than 100 years back started the inviting of passed friends and family. Día de los Muertos began in Pre-Columbian societies and convictions. Before the Spanish touched base in what is today Mexico, the Aztec offered contributions to their expired predecessors as a feature of their passing ceremonies (NPR). After the Spanish came, the festival transformed to fuse Catholic convictions and works on, making this profoundly religious, syncretic convention. The bleeding edge cycle of the Día de los Muertos consolidates three days addressing three related, anyway disengaged, conviction frameworks — packed with moving traditions that bring both end and moreover the slant of time proceeded with a companion or relative who has passed.
The celebrations are splendid and clarify, and they consolidate the working of ofrendas in merriment of the pulled back; with respect to the died using sugar skulls, marigolds (the sprout of the dead), and the most cherished sustenances and refreshments of the left; and passing on enrichments and things to graves. Diverse traditions join muertos, the bread of the dead; cardboard skeletons; tissue paper trims; results of the dirt; incense; and other standard sustenances and structures. The event is as of now praised the world over, and each culture passes on their own exceptional reshapment to it.
