Mexican Day of the Dead

Dia de Los Muertos, which spans from November 1 to November 2, is a time to connect with ancestors. The holiday is celebrated throughout Latin America and especially in Mexico, where the tradition originates and is effectively a fusion between indigenous Aztec beliefs and Catholic influences.

Despite the name, Dia de Los Muertos—also known as Day of the Dead—is not only about the dead, but the living. The holiday’s celebrations are intended to build a bridge between the living and the dead, through the act of remembering those who came before us. Traditions include gathering at cemeteries, creating ofrendas (altars), laying out marigold floral arrangements, making cavaleras (edible skulls made of sugar), eating a bread known as pan de muerto, and decorating with La Catrina, the recognizable image of a lithe skeleton, normally wearing a hat and a colorful dress.
La Catrina (whose official name, "La Calavera Catrina," translates to "the elegant skeleton") originated in satirical cartoons by Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada, whose art poked fun at the social unrest and hypocrisy in the country in the 1910s. Posada was inspired by Mictecacihuatl, the skull-headed Aztec goddess of death, when designing his influential (and skeletal) figurines. One such figure—now wearing a dress and hat—was at the center of Diego Rivera's 1947 mural, "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park." And so, an enduring image was born, in conversation with ancient tradition and modern-day sensibilities like the holiday itself.

Oaxaca City-based curandera Rocky Seker says that the city comes together during the multi-day holiday to create an astonishing spectacle. While the holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico, Oaxaca is considered the epicenter of the festivities.

 

I cherish every moment of my loved ones
yesterday, today and forever

 

Beautiful celebration of life and love