¡Celebrar!

Day of the Dead Celebration

The Day of the Dead celebration began with the Aztec and Nahua people long ago, and originated in Mexico and Central America. These peoples believed that it was disrespectful to mourn the dead because of the belief that these peoples were still alive in spirit. During Día de los Muertos, the spirits and memory of those who have passed is “temporarily returned to Earth” (Ward, pq. 1).

The celebration takes place on October 31st, and lasts through November 2nd of each year; the Latino community throws a huge, lavish party for their loved ones who have returned from the passed. It is their time to honor those who have died, pay their respects, and remember the deceased. It is tradition to welcome the loved one back with various food dishes, face paint designs, pictures, and decorations.

During the Day of the Dead, it is very common to greet these beloved spirits with delicious dishes that are unique to Latino culture. Many of the rituals and ideals that Latino culture follows has great significance; from the different colors, outfits, and objects that are important to this celebration, all of it has a deeper, more symbolic meaning. The alter is significant in Latino culture, and during the Day of the Dead, is covered in flowers, gifts, and food to welcome the spirits back to life. Many make their loved ones favorite dish and place it on the alter for them, which serves as an offering to those who have passed.

Common Dishes found at a Day of the Dead Celebration: ———————————————

• Tamales: Tamales are “corn-based-dough” that are flattened, steamed, and filled with a range of toppings from chicken, to jelly.

• Pan de Muertos: These sugar-covered, bread desserts are baked in the shape of bones, and are meant to represent soil.

• Sugar Skulls: These sweet, skull-shaped treats are made of pure sugar, and are each uniquely designed to represent individuality, and vitality of life. Sugar skulls are commonly given to others as gifts.

 

Day of the Dead Face Make-up: ————————————————————————————

During the day of the dead celebration, many Latino peoples can be seen in a full, extremely detailed paint covering their faces, known in some places as a calavera. These pieces of art are a Latino tradition, and symbolize life, death, and rebirth.

 

Something to think about… 

Day of the Dead face paint is, these days, more recently seen as more of a trend than the symbolic piece of Latino culture that it is. In an article by Michelle Moran, titled Misconceptions about The Day of the Dead, Moran discusses her views on this topic, and is saddened by the lack of knowledge that people have of these traditions, and by their use of Latino culture as a costume, or statement. The author points out that every year when Halloween rolls around, the number of Day of the Dead sugar skull costumes is insulting. Iran Cervantez, a Chicano studies professor at CSUN states in that article that, “People need to understand, that when they are wearing that calavera, when they are painting their face with that calavera, that it’s not just a mask or something to decorate their face with, what they are wearing is the symbolism of that eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth,”. That being said, it is important to realize that someone else culture is not a costume. These cultural aspects are meaningful, symbolic, and important to Latino people specifically; we must not step on their traditions by making a mockery of them. Educating ourselves on diverse cultures’ ideals, beliefs, and traditions, promotes acceptance and acknowledgment of all peoples.

 

Day of the Dead Decorations ————————————————————————————-

• Papel picado: Spanish for “cut paper”, these tissue paper designs are unique, come in various colors, and are a common Day of the Dead decoration. The many colors symbolize different aspects of the meaning of the tradition, such as pain, hope, and celebration. The designs are intricate, and detailed, which can be very difficult to do when working with such thin material. The papel picado designs are used to decorate, making it bright and colorful to welcome back their loved ones.

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