My Experience With Day of the Dead
Day of the dead, my favourite tradition by far out of them all. As a person who was born and has, up until this point, lived all her life in Mexico, this is a tradition that has always been a big part of my life, as every year my family does not fail to pay tribute to all of our loved ones that have unfortunately left this world.
I want people to understand that Day of the Dead is not Mexican Halloween. In fact, this celebration has a much deeper meaning for us. While in much of the world this date is marked by sadness and tears, in Mexico it is surrounded by a halo of party and colour, a celebration of life and of reunion with the departed who are believed to return to our world for a day.
A little history…
This tradition comes from our pre-Hispanic past. That is, the time before the Spanish arrived and conquered what is now Mexico. The ancient civilizations that populated this country honoured death as a consequence of life and part of the cycle of nature. With the arrival of the Spanish, Day of the Dead did not completely disappear. The evangelizers discovered that there was a coincidence of dates between the pre-Hispanic celebration of the dead with All Saints’ Day, dedicated to the memory of the saints who died in the name of Christ.
This is how the Day of the Dead was reduced to just two days, on November 1 and 2, where the spirits of children and adults respectively are believed to return to this world to visit their loved ones. Although in other regions such as Oaxaca and Puebla it extends to several days, since it is thought that those who died of unnatural causes arrive days before to their homes.
Altar
You cannot celebrate the Day of the Dead without an altar! This is one of the most representative elements in the feast of the faithful departed, because with it we honour our people with all the foods they loved, in addition to candles, flowers and other decorations. These are some elements that the altar must include:
Marigold flower: Its strong odour and intense orange hue are believed to carry the deceased home. Its name in Nahuatl means “flower with twenty petals.”
Candles and tapers: The flame is the light, the faith and the hope that guides in this and the next world. In some indigenous communities, each candle represents a deceased. If the candles have a purple motif, it means mourning; if they are placed in the shape of a cross, it implies the four cardinal points that guide the path of the soul to its home.
Water: Reflection of purity. It helps quench the thirst of the soul that comes from a long way and also strengthens its return.
Photograph of the deceased: Honor the person who was in life. Some communities put the hidden image so that it can only be seen in a mirror and thus imply that it can be seen but does not exist.
Food: The favourite dishes of loved ones are placed, ranging from the simplest to the most elaborate; fruits are also placed and, of course, sweet bread.
Without a doubt, it generates an identity for us Mexicans, because at the very core of this practice is our main code: family.
It is an occasion for all families to get together, to enjoy the company of one another while remembering our loved ones who had to leave this world but who are most definitely not gone. They’re still living through our memories and our hearts and will continue to do so for as long as we remember them.
This Mexican tradition, full of colour, aromas and delicious flavours that borders more on a party, is cataloged by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, since it gives identity to various peoples of the country.
Let’s keep alive the celebration of the Day of the Dead, a tradition that helps us remember all our loved ones with colour, celebration, aromas, joy and flavour.
