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Revision as of 19:19, 24 October 2006
The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos, Día de los Difuntos or Día de Muertos in Spanish) is an ancient Aztec celebration of the memory of deceased ancestors that is celebrated on November 1 (All Saints' Day) and November 2 (All Souls' Day).
The holiday is especially popular in Mexico where it is a national holiday, and is celebrated in the Philippines, in Mexican-American communities in the United States, and to a lesser extent, in other Latin American countries. It is a public holiday in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate it by visiting cemeteries and churches, bringing flowers, lighting candles and praying.
Though the subject matter may be considered morbid from the Anglo Saxon perspective, Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead joyfully, and though it occurs at the same time as Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls Day, the traditional mood is much brighter with emphasis on celebrating and honoring the lives of the deceased, and celebrating the continuation of life; the belief is not that death is the end, but rather the beginning of a new stage in life.
Who Started it all
AHHHHH The origins of what is now called the Day of the Dead is uncertain, it may go as far back as 800 A.D. and the Call the Dead Festival, celebrated by the Aztecs during the months of July and August, to mark the end of the maize harvest. Maize, frijol, chick-peas and pumpkin comprised an offering to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. This Goddess, queen of Chinahmictlan was the guardian of the ninth level of hell, Mictlan call.
Some believe that the traditions of the modern festival are descend from the pre-Hispanic customs of burying the dead with their possessions, as well as food and offerings for their trip to the after life. The tradition is born of the belief that when dying, people go to the kingdom of Mictlán. From Mictlto they travel to the sky or Tlalocan. Living relatives believe that their beloved dead need food and water for the journey. The dead should also need veladoras (candlesticks) to illuminate the path, money to pay to the ferryman who provides transport across a river, a thorny wood to drive away the devil.
See also
External links
- More Day of the Dead information incluidng altars, offrendas and recipes
- Day of the Dead in Janitzio, Mexico
- Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico
- View some examples of Dia de los Muertos Folk Art
- View samples of Muerto styled art work from local Los Angeles Artist.
- The Day of the Dead Events - Petaluma CA
- The Day of the Dead Traditional Bread
- 2006 Dia de los Muertos Photo/Poetry Contest
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