WHAT IS DIA DE LOS MUERTOS?
Translated as the 'Day of the Dead' it is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.
They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them. In most Indian villages, beautiful ofrendas (altars) are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, buckets of flowers (wild marigolds called cempasuchil & bright red cock's combs) mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey mole, stacks of tortillas and big Day-of-the-Dead breads called pan de muerto. The altar needs to have lots of food, bottles of soda, hot cocoa and water for the weary spirits. Toys and candies are left for the angelitos, and on Nov. 2, cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the adult spirits. Little folk art skeletons and sugar skulls, purchased at open-air markets, provide the final touches. They believe that happy spirits will provide protection, good luck and wisdom to their families. Ofrenda building keeps the family close. On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the festivities are taken to the cemetery. People clean tombs, play cards, listen to the village band and reminisce about their loved ones. Tradition keeps the village close. |
Although it is a holiday from far away in southern Mexico, it's a holiday one can personalize and integrate into their own religious and cultural beliefs. It is more of a cultural holiday than a religious one. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the memories of our loved ones who are now gone... through art cooking, music, building ofrendas, doing activities with our children we can recount family stories, fun times and lessons learned... not how the person died, but how they lived.
In the USA Dia de Los Muertos events and festivals are very popular, cross‐cultural, and held annually in many cities and communities. Relevant merchandise is available for purchase in mainstream stores and catalogs. Many art and cultural museums and venues host Dia de Los Muertos related exhibitions. The contextual focus of the Lone Pine Dia de los Muertos Festival is to celebrate, be educational, and promote diverse cultural and creative participation. |
WHAT ARE OFRENDAS?
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Ofrendas (altars) are at the heart of the celebrations and are created in remembrance and honor of the beloved.
Symbolic decor includes candles, bright-colored flowers, especially marigolds, favorite foods, sweet bread, whimsical folk art and caricatures in the form of skulls and skeletons, provide some of the final touches. The altar (or ofrenda) is a wonderful multi-cultural activity for home or classroom. Everyone can participate and put something, either traditional or symbolic, on the altar. The altar is where people can express their feelings for those loved ones being honored. Americans (and non-Catholics) are beginning to adopt this tradition and now altars are becoming popular in private homes as well as in public places. |
The entire family work together in the decoration; much the same as Americans who decorate a Christmas tree together. The altar provides a feast for the visiting spirits. Favorite items of the person being honored are displayed on the altar.
Traditionally, on November 1 ~ the day honoring children ~ altars are filled with everything in miniature: toys, chocolate, little glasses of milk & candies. On November 2 ~ the day honoring adult spirits ~ cigarettes, mezcal, bottles of soda, stacks of handmade tortillas, pan de muerto (a rich egg bread which is either decorated or braided), special turkey in mole sauce, nuts, tamales and special personal items of the muerto (like a hat or piece of jewelry) adorn the altar.
An altar may honor more than one person and a cross made of marigold petals recognizes each person. Names of the honored guests are put on sugar skulls, oranges, apples and big loaves of bread. Little skeleton figurines and sugar skulls are used to decorate the altar and poke fun at death. Members of the family never eat off the altar until the food has been enjoyed by the spirits and they have safely returned to heaven. But on November 3, the family enjoys a feast they've been waiting for all year
Traditionally, on November 1 ~ the day honoring children ~ altars are filled with everything in miniature: toys, chocolate, little glasses of milk & candies. On November 2 ~ the day honoring adult spirits ~ cigarettes, mezcal, bottles of soda, stacks of handmade tortillas, pan de muerto (a rich egg bread which is either decorated or braided), special turkey in mole sauce, nuts, tamales and special personal items of the muerto (like a hat or piece of jewelry) adorn the altar.
An altar may honor more than one person and a cross made of marigold petals recognizes each person. Names of the honored guests are put on sugar skulls, oranges, apples and big loaves of bread. Little skeleton figurines and sugar skulls are used to decorate the altar and poke fun at death. Members of the family never eat off the altar until the food has been enjoyed by the spirits and they have safely returned to heaven. But on November 3, the family enjoys a feast they've been waiting for all year
WHAT ARE SUGAR SKULLS?
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Painting Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church.
Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place. Sugar skulls face pinting is popular during this festival too. |
WHAT ARE CALACAS?
A calaca (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈlaka], a colloquial Mexican Spanish name for skeleton) is a figure of a skull or skeleton (usually human) commonly used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival, although they are made all year round.
WHAT IS PAPEL PICADO?
Papel Picado is the traditional art of Mexican paper cutting. Colorful paper is cut into delicate, lacy images and strung as banners to honor the the dead on Dia de los Muertos. Papel picado isn’t exclusively a Day of the Dead decoration – but it is derived from Mexican folk art and you see it used a lot in celebrations of all kinds.
WHY MARIGOLDS?
Marigold is the Day Of The Dead Flower used in offerings to the spirits during the Day of the Dead observance. It is believed that the spirits of the dead visit the living during the celebration. Marigolds guide the spirits to their altars using their vibrant colors and scent. Marigolds, or flowers in general, also represent the fragility of life.
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WHAT? THERE'S MORE?PAN DE MUERTO is one of the staple foods offered and eaten during Day of the Dead. Pan de muerto (which means "bread of the dead") is a sweet bread made from egg that can be purchased in numerous shapes. The most popular shapes for pan de muertos are of course, skulls and skeletons! That's because pan de muerto symbolizes the souls of the departed. You can make your own by following this recipe.
MILAGROS Milagros are translated as "little miracles". These charms have been used for centuries in churches for the faithful to request miracles. The flaming heart is a popular symbol for expressing love and passion. HEART RELICARIOS In Latin America, a relicario is a small, finely detailed devotional pendant used by the Catholic Church to hold cherished relics and mementos of the saints. In the more common definition, a relicario is a special, beautiful container to hold something precious. TO LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT visit http://www.mexicansugarskull.com |