Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

What do colored paper, white candles, cempasuchil flowers (orange marigolds) and sugar have in common? These are the basic ingredients for one of the most famous Mexican traditions: The Day of the Dead, a colorful commemoration of the day the Catholic Church reserves to honor our beloved deceased relatives. The Mexican Day of the Dead is an ancient festivity with its roots in the Aztec culture and, despite its name, is all about the celebration of life.

The Aztecs celebrated with a great annual banquet to thank the Goddess Mictecacihuatl for a successful harvest. Mictecacihuatl was the Queen of Chinahmictlan, or the guardian of the ninth level of hell, which was also called Mictlan, considered the place in which the tradition was rooted. The Aztecs believed that when people died, they went to a place called Mictlan, where they were required to wait for a while until they were ready to travel to Tlalocan, or heaven. Since their spiritual trip could be very long, the dead needed food and water for the journey, candles for lighting the dark roads and money (coins) to pay the boat that would take them across the river. The dead were invited to the banquet so they could replenish their supplies, and then rest before the last part of their journey. The departed received a special authorization to attend the celebration, so they could join in the festivities.

With the arrival of the Roman Catholic Church, the ritual became more merged with Catholic theology, but the essence of the party remained the same. A great celebration for those who are missed, and also an opportunity to put a human face upon death – thanks to sugar dolls whose purpose is to remind us that even if you admit death is the only certainty in life, it is possible to fool it for a little while, and even embrace it as the continuation of life.

A central feature of this celebration, “El Altar de los Muertos” (The Shrine of the Dead), has become an important artistic expression of the rich aesthetic of Mexican culture. Created around strict principles observed because of their spiritual significance, every altar serves as the personal expression of those who want to pay homage to their loved ones. The altar is divided into seven levels, based on the belief that the deceased must go through seven steps in order to achieve eternal rest. Presided over by Virgen de la Guadalupe and a crucifix, the altar is adorned with many decorations: purple and yellow paper chains representing the union between death and life; white candles; photos of the deceased; personal objects; a great variety of sweets, including the indispensable Bread of the Dead and Sugar Skulls; and water and salt for the deceased to replenish their energies and purify themselves after the visit. Last but not least, the brilliant cempasuchil flowers serve to guide the visitor to his or her own Altar.

The celebration of the Dia de los Muertos represents the comfort and familiarity of the Mexican people with the concept of death. They just cover it with sugar, because they believe, just as an ancient indigenous song says, “In any place the death reaches us, we will welcome it.” Just as the departed are welcomed with the promise of coming back to share the sweets of life – once a year, every year.