Halloween Stories: Día de los Muertos and Celebrating Death

In splendid colors and festive celebration the Día de los Muertos in Mexico welcomes the dead with a party and a smile. But how did it originate and how does it differ from the Halloween celebration from its neighboring country?

Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and deeply spiritual celebration with roots in ancient Mesoamerican traditions. Most will preface this with saying that this is not the Mexican version of Halloween from the United States, although the celebrations do share similarities and also how it originated.

It is a time when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is said to thin, allowing families to reunite with their departed loved ones. Far from a mournful event, Día de los Muertos honors death as a natural part of life, celebrating the memories and spirits of the dead with offerings, altars, and joyful gatherings. The part of it being a humorous and fun aspect often sets it apart from other celebration focusing on death and the dead.

The Origins of Día de los Muertos : From Mesoamerica to Modern Mexico

Today, the Día de los Muertos celebration is an old one, but just how old is still debated. Some argue that it have its origins in ancient pre-Hispanic traditions, particularly among the Aztecs and other indigenous civilizations as well as the Roman Catholics and the European Danse Macabre imagery.

Read More: The Catholic celebration Allhallowtide has influenced a lot how we celebrate the dead. Halloween Stories: The Haunting Season of Allhallowtide

Some claim that close to all traditions could be traced back to medieval Europe and to the time when the Spanish Conquistadors colonized the land. They argued that what would be mistaken as indigenous traditions on the countryside was simply an archaic Spanish tradition from the early days of the conquest. Some would argue it is rather a Spanish tradition born out of Mexican nationalism to express themselves through this Aztec identity to remove themselves from Spain after independence.

But did the Aztec indigenous have a similar celebration? After all, a harvest celebration during the fall is a very global thing and could have existed parallel with others. These ancient peoples believed in the cyclical nature of life and death, viewing death not as an end but as a part of the journey of the soul.

The closest celebration is perhaps the Quecholli is the name of the fourteenth month of the Aztec calendar and was between October 20 and November 8 where the hunting deity Mixcoatl was central as it was hunting season. It had a similar tradition of placing food on altars close to the burial grounds of fallen warriors to help them reach the afterlife. It was a huge feasting time and they would also dress up as the deity as well as sacrificing a man and a woman to him at his temple.

The goddess Mictēcacihuātl, Queen of the Underworld, played a central role in ceremonies honoring the dead. She was often represented with a crown of skull and flowers, and people would often give offers to her in order to help the dead reach Mictlán.

Altars and Ofrendas: Welcoming the Spirits

At the heart of Día de los Muertos is the creation of altars, or ofrendas (offerings), that serve as a beacon for the spirits of deceased family members. These altars are elaborately decorated with candles, flowers, photos, and personal mementos of the deceased. Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. A drink (water) for their thirst, food (earth) for their hunger and candles (fire). It is believed that the light from the candles guides the souls back to the world of the living, allowing them to briefly visit their families.

The altars often feature marigolds—known as cempasúchil—whose bright orange color and distinctive fragrance are thought to attract the souls of the dead and are often called Flor de Muerto or the Flower of Dead. It is often planted in cemeteries and in Honduras the flower is also used to wash corpses.

Sugar skulls, pan de muerto (a special bread made for the occasion), and favorite foods of the deceased are also placed on the ofrendas, as offerings meant to nourish and comfort the visiting spirits.

Each element of the altar has symbolic meaning and is different in different regions. The papel picado in Michoacan, intricately cut paper banners, represents the fragility of life, while the salt helps purify the souls during their journey. Water is placed on the altar to quench the thirst of the spirits after their long voyage. In Oaxacada they are decorated with colorful paper mache called alebrijes.

Further to the sea like Veracruz, seashells, seaweed and fish. In big cities like Mexico City they also use more urban and modern things. At the altars they adorn them with pictures of the deceased as well as statuettes and images of saints and the virgin Mary. They sometimes offer shots of tequila or mezcal to adults or toys for the children. Most iconic though is perhaps the sugar skull.

Calacas and Calaveras: The Dance of Death

One of the most iconic images of Día de los Muertos is the calavera, or skull, often depicted in the form of brightly colored sugar skulls. These Alfeñiques sugared skulls, adorned with intricate designs, represent the dead but in a playful, lively way. The calacas (skeletons), whether in art or costume, are often shown dancing, playing music, or engaging in joyful activities. This imagery reflects the belief that death is not to be feared but rather embraced as a continuation of life.

Perhaps the most famous depiction of the calavera is the La Catrina figure, created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century. La Catrina is a skeletal figure dressed in elaborate European clothing, a satirical commentary on Mexican society but also a reminder that death comes for all, regardless of status or wealth.

Whereas Posada’s print intended to satirize upper class women of the Porfiriato, the famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera made a huge mural where she was the centerpiece. There he molded her into a Mexican national symbol by giving her attributes that referenced indigenous cultures.

La Catrina has since become a symbol of Día de los Muertos and a popular costume during the celebrations. People are now dressing as her as a tribute and her imagery is known far outside the Mexican borders. The face painting of a human skull was not really a part of the tradition, but has become popular in recent years, especially in urban areas.

The Journey of Souls

Día de los Muertos is often celebrated over two days. November 1st, Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels), is dedicated to the souls of deceased children where they are reunited with their family for a day. This is perhaps a more somber day for obvious reasons than the following day. Because November 2nd, Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead), is for honoring adults who have passed away and the night is more festive.

Families visit cemeteries, clean the graves of their loved ones, and often spend the night by the tombs, sharing stories, playing music, and sometimes even hosting feasts at the gravesite. These traditions ensure that the dead are never forgotten and remain an integral part of the family.

Other traditions children will go out in the street, knocking on the doors for a calaverita, which is a small gift like candy or money. The difference between this and the Trick or Treat is that there is no threat if they don’t give anything.

They also write a particular literary form called Calaveras literarias that are lighthearted and often mocking epitaph to their friends and family. In recent years, parades in the streets with people dressing up have become more and more popular. Inspired by the 2015 James Bond movie Spectre, which featured a large Day of the Dead parade, Mexico City held its first-ever parade for the holiday in 2016.

From Ancient Rituals to a Global Tradition

Over time, Día de los Muertos has gained recognition beyond Mexico’s borders. Thanks in part to the efforts of Mexican-American communities, the holiday is now celebrated in various parts of the United States, particularly in regions with large Latino populations. Schools, community centers, and cultural organizations build ofrendas, host parades, and teach the significance of the holiday. Movies such as “Coco” (2017) have introduced the spirit and meaning of Día de los Muertos to global audiences, further embedding it in the popular imagination.

Read Also: Check out all ghost stories from Mexico

This didn’t go without its controversies though, as when the American Halloween became popular through popular culture through the North American Free Trade Agreement some saw as a form of U.S Cultural Imperialism. In the 1990 the phrase “Día de los Muertos is not Mexican Halloween” became more of a political statement

Read More: A lot of the modern Halloween celebration in the U.S are said to come from the Celtic Samhain celebration that Mexican’s feel doesn’t align with their own holiday. Halloween Stories: The Celtic Samhain and how it became the modern Halloween

But as much as the cultural conservatives saw Halloween as a ‘cultural pollution’, there is no denying that the two holidays have influenced each other in the later years. A write posed the question, when children are wearing a costume from the Disney movie, Coco, is the Mexican child wearing a Halloween costume or Día de los Muertos costume? Could it not be both?

Día de los Muertos and the Beautiful Dance with Death

The candles get lit as the Monarch butterflies that holds the spirits of the departed arrive in Mexico in the fall for the celebration. Día de los Muertos is not just a day of remembrance; it is a celebration of the beautiful, mysterious connection between life and death. It teaches that death is not the end but a continuation of the journey, one that is marked with love, color, and family. As the marigolds bloom and the candles flicker in the cool autumn air, families gather to welcome their ancestors and celebrate the timeless dance between the living and the dead.