Lea Lane
Festivals are among the delights of traveling, and I’ve flown to Mexico this year just to experience one of the most fascinating of them all: Dia de Los Muertos — the Day of the Dead. The darkly beautiful tradition goes on day and night, from October 31 through the first two days of November.
For the holiday, Mexican markets sell toys and candy transformed into deathly symbols such as skeletons, coffins, and La Muerta, death herself. Calaveras, cheeky poems criticizing politicians or chiding friends and family are written as if the person had already passed — a clever mockery of death, reminding us of our own mortality.
On October 31, All Hallows Eve, children create altars to entice the angelitos (the spirits of dead children) to return, and go door-to -door asking for calavaritas, sugar skulls. It’s the dark side of Halloween.
November 1, All Saints Day (also called El Día de los Angelitos), poignantly focuses on deceased children, who are believed on this day to return to life. Graves are cleaned and decorated with candles, paper streamers, and seasonal flowers such as marigolds. And on November 2, All Souls Day — the true Day of the Dead — families and loved ones gather at cemeteries to be there when the adult spirits return.
Celebrations include music, food, prayers and home altars adorned with photos, lighted incense, candles, flowers, and candy skulls inscribed with the names of the deceased. Altars typically include papel picado (Mexican folk art of colorful cut paper), and personal objects and favorite meals of the departed.
Lighted candles illuminate the way for the dead souls. At nightfall you can visit a cenote, or cave, where the symbol of death prowls around in a boat, candles lighting the water with the heat of faith and life, far more evocative and beautiful than any Halloween haunted house.
Ancient legends are part of the fiesta’s expression. “Catrina” is Mexico’s favorite, most adapted representation of death — the star of many Day of the Dead celebrations.
Legends are also told about the surprising, beautiful Xtabay, who especially scares men. And a haunting figure, La Llorona, intrigues us to discover just what causes it to live in eternal tragedy.
While American Halloween features candy, the Day of the Dead features regional cuisine such as tamales and mole sauce, pumpkin and fruit sweets, and the famed pan de muerto (bread of the dead).
The fiesta’s ending varies, depending on the region. At a Mayan ritual of darkness and fire, the shaman, surrounded by flames, gives thanks for the sacred elements of Water, Sun, Wind, Earth and Life. Villagers dance to drums beats, and the Xcalacoco community prays for harmony, promising to continue feeding the Fire of Life.
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