{"id":78246,"date":"2023-10-31T11:39:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T10:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ihdemu.com\/?p=78246"},"modified":"2026-03-11T13:47:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T12:47:55","slug":"the-day-of-the-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ihdemu.com\/en\/the-day-of-the-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"The Day of the Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Day of the Dead<\/strong> is one of the most important celebrations in Mexico. This celebration, which takes place on November 1 and 2, is a tradition with pre-Hispanic roots and has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.<\/p>\n

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In this article, we will delve into the origin of this festival, its meaning, how it is celebrated, and its impact on the world, thanks to the Disney-Pixar movie, COCO<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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To begin, is it called D\u00eda de Muertos<\/em> or D\u00eda de los Muertos<\/em>? We must point out that both forms are commonly used, but the most common and correct form is “D\u00eda de Muertos.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The origin<\/strong> of the Day of the Dead dates back to the prehispanic cultures of Mesoamerica<\/strong>, such as the Mexicas, Mayas, Pur\u00e9pechas, and Totonacas. These cultures believed that death was not the end of life<\/strong>, but simply a transition<\/strong> to another plane. For them, the Day of the Dead was an opportunity to honor and remember<\/strong> loved ones who had passed away and celebrate their lives instead of mourning their deaths.<\/p>\n

\"Colorful<\/a><\/p>\n

In the prehispanic era<\/strong>, the celebration took place in the ninth month of the Mexica calendar (August) and lasted a whole month. After the arrival of the Spanish, the date was moved to coincide with the Catholic festivities of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2).<\/p>\n

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The Day of the Dead is a festival full of symbolism and meaning<\/strong>. During the celebration, it is believed that the souls of loved ones who have passed away return to the world of the living to visit their families. That is why during the Day of the Dead, altars are created in homes and cemeteries<\/strong>, where offerings are placed to welcome the deceased.<\/p>\n

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The offerings<\/strong> typically include items such as pan de muerto<\/strong>, a sweet bread shaped like a skull and crossed bones; cempas\u00fachil flowers<\/strong>, yellow flowers believed to guide the deceased to their offerings; candles and votive candles representing the light that illuminates the path of the dead; and photographs and personal objects<\/strong> of the deceased.<\/p>\n

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During the celebration of the Day of the Dead, various activities take place throughout Mexico. One of the most popular is the parade of catrinas<\/strong>, a procession of people dressed as elegant and colorful skeletons. This parade takes place in Mexico City and other cities in the country.<\/p>\n