Dia de los Muertos: A Complicated History and Unique Celebration of the Mexican Identity
The history of Mexico’s most popular celebration, “Dia De Los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead, (English and Spanish will be used interchangeably in the paper), is complex and combines Indigenous culture with Catholicism in Mexico, to create a unique celebration of life and death, which is evident the rituals, foods and arts. The festival blends two different ideologies, yet in ways similar, to create an entirely unique Mexican national festival. Though the Day of the Dead celebration is believed to be more closely related to the Catholic feast days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, indigenous and Catholic beliefs blended centuries ago to create the ritual, via the importance of keeping the spirits happy and a strong belief in life after death. Believing in life after death, or the world being reborn, is the key, as it speaks to the intertwining of life and death, and the remembering of family and friends who have died. The Aztec goddess of the underworld, Mictecacihautl (Meek-tay-cah-SEE-wah-tl), or “Lady of the Dead”, watched over the dead in the afterlife (McArdle 2010). Celebrating …show more content…
Do you think there is any indigenous culture, or indigenous beliefs celebrated during Day of the Dead? Well, in school the teacher says there is a lot of Indian culture celebrated in Dia de los Muertos. She said that is where the idea for the candy skulls comes from. We have lots of Indians living here, and lots of them still dress like Indians. Usually, it is white dresses with pretty embroidery on them. One thing I think I would not like is, they carry their babies in a shawl on their backs all the time. The Indians don’t dress up in costumes like we do, they wear their normal cloths, but I guess Dia de los Muertos is for everybody, because we all go to the cemetery and we all put out food and candles. My teacher says we should be proud of our history, and help the
The history of Mexico’s most popular celebration, “Dia De Los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead, (English and Spanish will be used interchangeably in the paper), is complex and combines Indigenous culture with Catholicism in Mexico, to create a unique celebration of life and death, which is evident the rituals, foods and arts. The festival blends two different ideologies, yet in ways similar, to create an entirely unique Mexican national festival. Though the Day of the Dead celebration is believed to be more closely related to the Catholic feast days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, indigenous and Catholic beliefs blended centuries ago to create the ritual, via the importance of keeping the spirits happy and a strong belief in life after death. Believing in life after death, or the world being reborn, is the key, as it speaks to the intertwining of life and death, and the remembering of family and friends who have died. The Aztec goddess of the underworld, Mictecacihautl (Meek-tay-cah-SEE-wah-tl), or “Lady of the Dead”, watched over the dead in the afterlife (McArdle 2010). Celebrating …show more content…
Do you think there is any indigenous culture, or indigenous beliefs celebrated during Day of the Dead? Well, in school the teacher says there is a lot of Indian culture celebrated in Dia de los Muertos. She said that is where the idea for the candy skulls comes from. We have lots of Indians living here, and lots of them still dress like Indians. Usually, it is white dresses with pretty embroidery on them. One thing I think I would not like is, they carry their babies in a shawl on their backs all the time. The Indians don’t dress up in costumes like we do, they wear their normal cloths, but I guess Dia de los Muertos is for everybody, because we all go to the cemetery and we all put out food and candles. My teacher says we should be proud of our history, and help the