But, for Mexicans who believe in the life/death/rebirth continuum, it's all very natural. This may all seem morbid and somewhat ghoulish to those who are not part of that culture. During this time, homes are often decorated in the same manner as the graves. (the Nahua-speaking peoples of pre-Columbian Mexico saw the skull as a symbol of life - not death.) Today, these macabre symbols and other similar items fill the shops and candy stalls by mid-October. Other symbols include the elaborately-decorated pan de muerto (a rich coffee cake decorated with meringues made to look like bones), skull-shaped candies and sweets, marzipan death figures, and papier maché skeletons and skulls. In addition to the deceased’s favorite food and drink, a loaf of Pan de Muerto is also placed as an offering. The offerings left for the dead usually consist of what that person enjoyed when they were alive. Pan de Muerto (“Bread of the Dead”) is a traditional Mexican sweet bread that is commonly made during the Day of the Dead. Flowers, particularly the zempasúchil (an Indian word for a special type of marigold) and candles, which are placed on the graves, are supposed to guide the spirits home to their loved ones. And the next day, All Souls Day, adults who have died are honored with displays of the departed's favorite food and drinks, as well as ornamental and personal belongings. Tempered somewhat by the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century, current practice calls for the deceased children (little angels) to be remembered on the previous day (November 1st, All Saints Day) with toys and colorful balloons adorning their graves. The festival to mark the return of the dead that would develop into the modern Day of the Dead took place in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, which was around the start of August. Just like they did when they were living. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (Purepecha, Nahua, Totonac, and Otomí) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. Traditions of the Day of the DeadĮvery year, on November 1st (All Saints Day) and November 2nd (All Souls Day), something unique takes place in many areas of Mexico: Day of the Dead festivities. It is a holiday that focuses on remembering family members and friends who have passed away. Known in Spanish as ' El Día de los Muertos', this unofficial but widely observed holiday is celebrated on November 2nd each year, primarily in the Central and Southern regions of Mexico.
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