DIA DE LOS MUERTOS Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead

The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

It is particularly celebrated in Mexico.

Traditions connected with the holiday include:

building private altars honoring the deceased using calacas, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.

The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration when eating and parties are common.

Dia de Los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos Vocabulary Cempazuchitl: Yellow marigolds

that are symbols of dead Copal: Burning incense left at

alter Ofrenda: offerings to honor the

dead Pan de Muerto: Bread of the

dead Cascarones: Festive egg shells

that are filled with confetti and trimmed in glitter

Alfeniques: Poems and songs written about the festival

Calaca: whimsical skeleton figure that represents death

Calaveras: Colorful iced sugar skulls

Angelitos: Souls of children who have died.

Calaca

• A Mexican Spanish Name for SKELETON.

• Origins from Aztec, frequently shown with flowers (such as marigolds).

• Depicted as Happy or Joyful rather than mournful (sad).

• Shown wearing festive clothes, dancing, and/or playing musical instruments to indicate a happy afterlife.

Masks

Form (3D) Abstract Face

Meaning it is a face but is distorted or simplified

Used for cerem0nial purposes.

Calaveras

Calavera—the skull—is the number one symbol

for the Days of the Dead.

It is not presented to terrorize.

Instead, the calavera represents the playfulness

of the Dead, as they mimic the Living and frolic

amongst us.