Día de los Muertos: Day of the Dead

This past weekend, while American children dressed as their favorite Disney characters, went door -to -door collecting candy and college students found another reason to party, those in Mexico and of Mexican descent celebrated Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.

This more than 500- year- old tradition originated with the Mayan's death rituals and celebrates the lives of loved ones that left the earth for the land of dead. From Mesoamerica religion, each person must pass through the land of the dead to reach the final resting place. They believed there are nine challenges that await the traveler on his journey. Many of the items placed as offerings were needed for these challenges. Traditionally in late summer, usually the month of August, the peoples celebrated the lives of the dead.

When the Spanish arrived in America, they brought with them the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic traditions of death mixed with the Mesoamerican traditions. Cemeteries and altars became part of the religious aspect of the culture. Eventually the celebration was combined with All Saints Day, November 1. Day of the Dead spans November 1 to the 2 now and is celebrated in the home and in the cemetery.

Popular items associated with Day of the Dead are skeletons, candy skulls, papel picado, flowers particularly mums, goyeté, and dead bread. Family members leave offerings of flowers, candy skulls, items the deceased enjoyed in life, dead bread, fruit and goyeté, which is a type of bread at the gravesites. It is believed that the souls of the dead return on these two days so the living family members leave items to welcome the souls back.

At night family members gather in the cemetery to celebrate. They light candles, share memories, and attend religious ceremonies. The cemeteries are full of people remembering and celebrating the lives of their loved ones. Rather than being a sad event, there is a sense of happiness and joy. And at the end of November 2 the families eat the food that the dead left uneaten and candy skulls are broken and shared.