Culture of Spanish: Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico on November 1. It has roots in Aztec religious traditions as well as Catholic influences. On the holiday it is traditional to remember and celebrate friends and family members who have died by creating an altar for each person. The altar is not meant to worship the person, but to celebrate his life and to guide his spirit back to the altar to spend the day with friends and family. An altar generally contains the favorite foods and possessions of the deceased person, as well as traditonal symbolic objects. Below is a list of the things usually found on an altar and the significance of each one.

tiers of boxes covered with a tablecloth to display the items attractively

arch represents the passage from life to death

photo of the person to whom the altar is dedicated

a glass of water relieves the thirst of the spirit after a long journey from the other world

fruit and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) provide nourishment after long travel

one candle at each cardinal direction to guide the spirit to the house and altar

incense helps the dead find the altar, represents changing from a physical to a spiritual being

marigolds represent death, a trail of marigold petals (or the smell of the flowers) guides the soul to the altar

skulls symbolize death and rebirth

cross Catholic influence in the religious traditions

RED = blood of life
ORANGE = sun
YELLOW = merigolds = flowers of the dead
VIOLET = pain, suffering, grief, mourning
PINK = celebration
WHITE = purity, hope

Skulls and skeletons are common decorations of the holiday, but are usually depicted dancing and playing instruments, as it is a happy occasion. They are often dressed in colorful clothing and with flowers.

You can find many more colorful designs by Googling "Day of the Dead folk art" or "Dia de los Muertos folk art."