Dia De Los Muertos

An Ancient Tradition: Celebrating El Dias De Los Muertos,

The Days of the Dead

In Mexico, November 1, All Saints’ Day, and November 2, All Souls’

Day, are two of the most important holidays of the year. The tradition

of honoring the dead goes back long before the Spanish conquistadores
arrived in the early 16th century. Concepts of death and the afterlife are
found in the ancient Olmec, Toltec, Maya, and Aztec cultures of Mexico.
With the Spanish Conquest, however, the days of the dead, originally
celebrated by native cultures at the end of July, were moved by Catholic
priests to coincide with All Hallows Eve, or Dia de Todos Santos. The
fusion of native and Christian ritual has created a celebration of “old
world” and “new world” religious beliefs.

The use of skulls, altars, and skeletons, and the concurrent celebration of
Halloween has led to many misconceptions about these two days of
celebration by those unfamiliar with the meaning of the holidays, especially
in the United States. Mexican culture accepts death philosophically as an
integral part of the life cycle. Rather than a somber, morbid or macabre
occasion, these two days are full of joy as the living remember their departed
loved ones by coming together to feast and honor them. Although it is
believed that during All Saints’ Day, the spirits of los angelitos, or children,
return to earth, it is on the following day, All Souls’ Day, when the spirits of
adults return, that is regarded as The Day of the Dead.