Días de los Muertos: A Celebration

​By: Joanna Halle ‘29

Celebration. Ofrendas. Remembrance. 
Those are some of the elements that characterize Días de los Muertos.

Días de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday traditionally celebrated from November 1st to November 2nd and dates back over 30 centuries to the traditions of the Aztecs and other pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures.

This holiday is an integral part of Mexican culture, and spread the tradition to Latin America and the United States. This tradition centers on the belief that when a person dies, their spirit lives on and that death is not an end but a natural occurrence in life. 

Dia de los Muertos stems from ancient Mesoamerican rituals that honored their dead in a month-long celebration. Due to the Spanish conquest, the indigenous traditions fused with Catholic holidays: more specifically, All Saints Day on November 1st and All Souls Day on November 2nd. That fusion led to the modern, two-day celebration that occurs today, combining the indigenous and Catholic beliefs about life after death.

These celebrations commemorate the dead through creating altars, or ofrendas, with photos and favorite items of the departed, decorating graves with marigolds, cooking traditional foods, and hosting festive and colorful parades. The traditions at the root emphasize the importance of remembering and honoring those who have died.

Today, almost 116 million people in Mexico celebrate Días de los Muertos each year, with cities practicing different traditions annually. Cities such as  Mexico City are known for their extravagant celebration, with a well-known parade that travels through the city's center, while Pátzcuaro is famous for its candlelit processions in the cemeteries.

With each passing celebration, more and more people celebrate Dia de los Muertos for a multitude of reasons. Events such as Muertos Fest at Hemisfair, and the Day of the Dead River Parade in San Antonio, attract thousands of visitors each year. Another factor in the growth of this holiday is the attention from the media, with the influence of the Disney movie, Coco.

In full, it’s clear that Días de los Muertos is a beautiful holiday that honors departed loved ones in a two-day celebration rather than mourning. The celebrations are festive with parades filled with music, dance, and traditional foods and decorated ofrendas in homes.

There are no requirements for people who can celebrate either! Next year, honor loved ones who have died with a celebration!