Alaska Airlines is celebrating more than three decades of flying to Mexico with a 3-day sale that has flights starting at just $99.
31.10.2023 - 07:08 / lonelyplanet.com
Mexico is famous for its unique treatment of death – and, by extension, of life.
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is an ancient, complex and deeply heartfelt celebration that sees people throughout Mexico remember and pay homage to loved ones who have passed.
Often misunderstood and oversimplified, Día de los Muertos is, at its root, a reminder that life – whether that of a deceased loved one or of your own – is fleeting and should be celebrated. It weaves together mourning and remembrance with joy. It’s a quintessential Mexican celebration, filled with family, food and music, where all are welcome and none are forgotten.
The Day of the Dead dates back more than a thousand years to the indigenous peoples of central Mexico, the Toltecs and Aztecs, who believed the spirits of the dead return to their communities once a year. When Spanish colonizers arrived, the celebration evolved to include Catholic traditions and rituals.
Today, Día de los Muertos is seen as such a unique celebration of death – and a core part of the Mexican experience – that its cultural importance has been recognized by Unesco. Each region of Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos a little differently, although common threads run throughout the country.
Here is everything you need to know.
While preparations and some regional celebrations begin in mid to late October, Día de los Muertos takes place on two specific days: November 1 and 2.
The first day focuses on children who’ve died and is called Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocent Ones – not to be confused with Mexico’s version of April Fool’s Day on December 28) or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels).
The second day is centered around adults and is called either Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Departed). Originally celebrated in August during pre-Columbian times, it evolved to coincide with the respective Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, two days of prayer and remembrance for the deceased.
Beginning in mid-October, many Mexicans set up ofrendas (altars) in their homes and businesses for loved ones who have passed. Ofrendas can be simple displays or elaborate multi-level affairs, but all share the same elements: photos of the deceased, food and drink they enjoyed in life, and small items they loved (say, a toy, a bottle of nail polish, or a book).
Commonly displayed items include candles, flowers, crucifixes and colorful images of saints. For many, the ofrenda represents a family’s remembrance of someone they loved; for others, it represents a homecoming, a place for their family’s spirits to return to during this time of year.
Regardless of regional differences, Día de los Muertos is a time when Mexicans go to their cemeteries
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