Día de los

Muertos

¿Cuándo celebran los mexicanos el Día de los Muertos?• The day of the dead is celebrated on

the 1st and 2nd of November

¿Qué celebran y por qué?• Celebrate to honor their deceased loved

ones• Allows the dead to live again• Believed that the deceased return to their

earthly home• Celebrate out of love and commitment to

their loved ones• People clean and decorate graves on the

31st of October• Set up altars with offerings for their loved

ones

History• Mesoamerican civilizations believed in

the afterlife• Believed death was a continuance of life• Resulted in celebration of death instead

of fear of death• Aztecs had annual festival celebrating

death of their ancestors • Spaniards tried to get ride of the Aztec

beliefs but failed

¿Qué es el día de los angelitos?

• 1st of November• Celebrating all the children that have

died• The children come home• Candy, bread, cookies, and their

favorite food for the children spirits to eat on the altar• Leave out toys for children to play with

after eating

¿Qué es “Pan de Muerto”?

• Day of the Dead bread put on altars for spirits to eat

¿Qué es una “Ofrenda”? ¿Qué

quieren conseguir con la ofrenda o altar?

• Set up altars with offerings for their deceased loved ones• Offerings usually included the Day of

the Dead bread, candy, and other foods• Create pathways for the souls to find

their way home

¿Qué 4 componentes tiene una ofrenda?

• Candles- to light a path for the souls to their altar• Marigolds- symbol of death; strong

smell also helps souls find their way home• Photo of deceased- framed photo to

whom the altar is dedicated• Food- candy, bread, and other food for

souls to eat

Day of the Dead and Halloween are

similar

Differences between Mexico and U.S.A

Mexico:• Celebrate death • Marigold flowers• Celebrate in

graveyards• 1st and 2nd of

November • Use costumes as

remembrance of the dead

U.S.A.• See death as

upsetting and scary• 31st of October • Many people avoid

graveyards• Use costumes to

scare

Similarities between Mexico and U.S.A.

• Annual• Dress up in costumes • Eat chocolate and candy• Happen in fall • Use ghosts and skeletons in

celebration• Visit loved ones at graveyards

What surprised you most?

Why do you think these similarities and differences exist?• Mexican ancestors thought death was just the

start of a beautiful life• Halloween originated in Celtic culture and later

spread to the U.S.• October 31st- boundaries between living and

dead overlapped• Deceased came to life and caused sickness and

damage to crops- caused fear of dead and death

• Even after hundreds of years the celebration is to still honor the dead, whereas Halloween has changed from being a celebration of the end of the harvest