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The Day of the Dead – November 2nd
The days of the dead are truly a celebration of
life. When children dance with
caricatures of death, eat skull sugar molds and learn to respect that life is
brief, they learn there is a circle to life and to not fear death and then
are free to enjoy and appreciate every moment.
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The Days of the Dead October 31st – All
Hallow’s Eve, Halloween November 1st, Dia de los
innocents, All Saint’s Day November 2nd - the Day of the Dead, All
Soul’s Day
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Celebrating The Day of the Dead
has a long history in Mexican Tradition.
The Day of the dead is celebrated on November 2nd. Sometime one hears reference to “the days
of the Dead” which refers to the Days of October 31 – November 2. October 31 is Halloween or All Hallows
eve. November 1 is “el Dia de los innnocentes” or the day of the children and
All Saints Day. November second is
All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. |
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Some
Christian’s hold to the belief structure that every day should be treated
like Christmas, - as every day Christ’s love is born and should be
celebrated. Therefore, the positive,
compassionate attitude that is associated with the Christmas season would
ideally be maintained throughout the year.
Christmas Day is celebrated formally to remind us of this value. The day of the Dead is similar. During the days of the Dead, some believe
that the souls of the departed return to earth to visit with and to provide
council or give advice to family and loved ones. There is a belief that this is true every day, but that
November 2nd is the day set aside to remember and honor those who
have past.
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The
Day of the Dead is a time of celebration and remembrance of loved ones who
have passed away, much like Memorial Day in the United States. |
In Mexico, there is a tradition of
visiting gravesites. Unlike the
United States where graveyards are privately owned and maintained, graveyards
in Mexico are often publicly owned or managed by local churches. It is up to the families of the deceased
and other community members to maintain the graves. |
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During the days of the dead, the
family often takes the opportunity to visit the gravesite and pull weeds,
clean any debris and decorate the graves of loved ones. Often candles, flowers and the favorite
foods of the deceased are placed on the grave and the family visits, eats,
sings and tells favorite stories about those who have passed. In the United States or for those
for whom visiting the gravesite is not viable, (often graveyards are closed
during the evening hours) the tradition has been adapted. Many set up altars in their homes and
often communities host a variety of events. In Albuquerque’s south valley the
Marigold parade and celebration at the West Side Community Center is one such
event. Altars are usually decorated with flowers, candles, pan de muerto,
ceramic skulls, and most importantly pictures of loved ones. Food placed on the altar consists of the loved ones
favorite dishes and treats. Drinks should be placed in
the altar to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey back
home. In many villages it is customary to offer alcoholic beverages. Salt is considered the spice of life and is one the
staples that are often left at the altar.
The scents of marigolds as well as burning copal (a resin of the copal
tree) are thought to be most beloved by the spirits of the dead and invite
them back home. The rituals used to celebrate the day are varied
and colorful. Yet, all carry the same
message, celebrating the day of the dead is a true celebration of life. For more
on the Day of the Dead: AZCentral.com
– the Day of the Dead http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/history/historyindex.html Why Do
Mexicans Celebrate the Day of the Dead?
An article by Ricardo J. Salvador http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjsalvad/scmfaq/muertos.html The Day
of the Dead, An article by May Herz, including information on how to obtain
an educational video K-12. http://www.inside-mexico.com/featuredead.htm There are
many, many online resources about the Day of the Dead. Try using your favorite internet search
engine |
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