Starting at midnight on November 1st, families across Mexico and beyond celebrate the cherished annual tradition of Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), coming together to welcome back the souls of their departed loved ones. On the evening of October 31st, families prepare elaborate altars, traditional food and drink, and colorful costumes for the celebration ahead.
How did this this well-known festival honoring the dead come to be? Let’s explore the rich history behind this holiday.
Mesoamerican Beginnings
Thousands of years before the Spanish Conquest, various Nahua peoples—including the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, Aztec, Huastec, and Mixtec—lived in what is now Mexico and honored the lives of the dead with month-long rituals.
Upon death, a person was thought to travel to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. From there, it was believed they had to pass nine challenging levels (a journey that took several years) before arriving at Mictlán, their final resting place. Nahua rituals focused on honoring family members during this difficult time, providing food, water, pottery, personal items, and tools to aid the dead. This inspired the modern Day of the Dead practice in which celebrants place food and other offerings on loved ones’ graves.
The indigenous peoples believed that death was a natural part of the life cycle and not something to be feared. Instead, death was a transition, with the dead continuing to exist in the afterlife.
European Influence
In the 16th century, Spanish colonizers introduced and imposed Catholic beliefs and traditions on the indigenous peoples. Traditions similar to the celebrations of the dead were the Christian holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which fell on November 1st and 2nd. Over time, Día de los Muertos merged with Catholic traditions, shifting from a months-long celebration in August to November 1st and 2nd.
Despite centuries of suppression and oppression, the resilient indigenous traditions in Mexico adapted and endured.
From Ancient Roots to Modern Celebrations
In the modern-day celebration of Día de los Muertos, people across Mexico and beyond honor their deceased loved ones with joy rather than sorrow, much like in the ancient rituals of the Nahua. November 1st is dedicated to children, while November 2nd is dedicated to adults. Let’s look at how families prepare:
- Ofrendas: Altars, or ofrendas, are created in homes and cemeteries and decorated with vibrant marigolds, candles, and photos of the deceased. Offerings of food include the deceased’s favorite dishes and drinks.
- Sugar skulls: These well-known symbols of the festivity, called calaveras, serve as a symbol of the deceased. They are placed in homes and cemeteries and on the deceaseds’ altars. This practice dates back to ancient Nahua practices, where skulls were offered to the god Mictlantecuhtli to ensure a safe passage to the afterlife.
- Traditional foods: Families bake pan de muerto and special meals to share with family and place on the ofrendas.
- Visiting gravesites: Families visit, clean, and decorate the graves of their ancestors with flowers, candles, incense, and food offerings.
- Participating in parades: Celebrants join local parades and events wearing traditional face paints and colorful costumes. This echoes Mesoamerican times when Nahua people dressed in ceremonial clothes, face paint, and masks to celebrate the dead.
From Mesoamerican to Modern Icons
The people of the Aztec Empire worshiped the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead, who was a central figure in the celebrations and believed to watch over the bones of the deceased. Although unrelated, her symbolism in the festival is echoed in La Calavera Catrina, a popular modern figure that emerged in the early 20th century and has since become an iconic symbol of the celebration.
Influence Across Other Cultures
Día de los Muertos is filled with pride, love, and deep reverence for the past. It’s a joyful celebration of life and memory. As the holiday has spread, it has both shaped and been shaped by other cultures. For example, while some have adopted the American practice of children trick-or-treating on Halloween (“mi calaverita”), the holiday remains dedicated to honoring the dead. Its vibrant traditions have inspired new ways of remembering the departed in places as far as Europe and Asia.
Although unique in its traditions, Día de los Muertos shares similarities with other cultures that independently evolved similar ways of honoring the dead. For example, Japan’s Obon festival and Cambodia’s Pchum Ben reflect a universal desire to honor and celebrate the deceased. Despite evolving separately, these celebrations demonstrate our shared desire to remember, respect, and maintain the continuity of life: a testament to our common humanity.
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