Influences and inspirations of the Day of the Dead
Introduction
The day of the dead What is it? Today I am going to talk about the most famous Mexican party in the whole country: the day of the dead. I will present and explain this custom, in order to explain its different influences and inspirations, and demonstrate that it is part of the country’s identity. During the pre-Hispano period, there were two important festivities;one for children celebrated 20 days before the adult party (which was held in August, at the end of the agricultural cycle of corn). There was also a tradition of keeping the skulls of victims of human sacrifice as trophies. After Spanish colonization, to respect more Christian traditions, these parties were no longer held in August but in all the saints, and customs have changed.
Developing
Before, the festivities consisted of cutting an xócotl (tree), took the bark to decorate it with flowers. Over time the offerings dedicated to the deceased (offerings of money, food, etc. have appeared over time.) These are the bases of this famous party. The day of the dead is a Mexican national holiday that has existed for more than 3.000 years and extends for several days. On the night of October 31 to November 1 it is dedicated to Los Angelitos (the dead children) and the morning of November 1 is dedicated to their breakfasts. Then new offerings are deposited on the altars. On November 2, during the commemoration of all the dead, Mexicans guide souls towards tombs through flower and candles petals. It is an opportunity for families to clean the tombs, put food or flowers.
It should be noted that variations can be observed on the dates according to the regions, but the order of rituals remains the same: first for children and then for adults. Altars are built in the houses to honor the deceased, the exterior of the houses is decorated and flowery. These altars can be 2, 3 or 7 levels. In the most traditional altars, it is on 7 levels: they represent the different stages that the dead must cross. Traditionally, on the first level, the highest, there must be a portrait of the deceased. In the second, personal objects to remind you of our love, which has not been forgotten. In the third, the skulls (sweet or plastic skulls). On the next, candles and flowers, the cempasuchil (white for children, orange for adults), this flower symbolizes the radiation of the sun, considered as the origin of everything.
In the fifth level, the chopped paper, a popular decoration of cut paper in the form of skeletons and/or skulls. On the sixth, incense is deposited to move away evil spirits. Finally, in the last there are preferred dishes, sweets such as dead bread, cigarettes, tequila. No one eats this food, but the legend says that it loses its flavor because the dead feed on the aromas. The last day, parties and feasts are organized in the cemeteries. The goal is to take care of the souls of the deceased, accompany them before and after the party. There are some peculiarities: indeed, there are rules to respect. The people killed the month before the day of the dead do not have the right to offerings because they have not had time to ask permission to return to the earth. As for deceased children before baptism, white flowers and candles are offered.
For baptized children, relatives add toys to their altars. In the twentieth century, Catrina has become a symbol of the feast of the dead;It is a female skeleton dressed in rich clothes and a big hat. In the Aztec culture, the lady of death was called Mictecacihuatl. The day of the dead is the most representative party in Mexico for many years. As I explained above, these festivities have known numerous modifications and have adapted over the years. The contemporary rituals of the Day of the Dead are inherited from the Christian traditions brought by the Spaniards, who thought that souls toured the earth and floated around them. These new customs (the altars adorned with flowers, food, etc.)
conclusion
They have mixed with indigenous traditions: the feast of the dead, as we know it today, is composed of elements of Christian, Spanish, but also indigenous culture. This party gives a totally different vision of death: it is not something negative, it is not the end, but the beginning of a trip. The day of the dead takes place throughout the country, but each state celebrates it differently. The common point is the festive, cheerful and colorful appearance. Popularized in recent years, the day of the dead raises great curiosity throughout the world and has contributed considerably to the development of tourism in Mexico. Today, the Day of the Dead is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which demonstrates the international and important character of this party.
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