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Día de los Muertos is considered the most representative tradition of Mexican culture. This festival was declared by UNESCO in 2003 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Due to this, the celebration started to be introduced in several other countries.
But the question remains: how did the Día de los Muertos come about? What would be your influence in the world?
Origin of Día de los Muertos
Día de los Muertos has indigenous origins and is celebrated in Mexico even before the Spanish colonization. Some ancestors, such as the Mayans and the Aztecs, already celebrated this day, which popularized this festivity throughout Latin America.
At first, pre-Hispanic people celebrated this celebration throughout the month of August. It was common practice to conserve the skulls of several deceased people, to show them during rituals, as they symbolized death and rebirth.
With the arrival of Spanish settlers, these earlier rituals changed - as they were considered pagan. Therefore, the commemorative date, which used to be one month, became at the beginning of November, on days close to the celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day - Christian celebrations.
When is Día de los Muertos celebrated?
According to tradition, November 1st is dedicated to the celebration of deceased children. On the 2nd of November, there is that of the deceased adults.
However, in the Christian calendar, November 1st is All Saints' Day and November 2nd is All Souls' Day, which remembers all deceased loved ones, regardless of whether they are children or adults.
Unlike the Christian celebration, Mexican tradition celebrates the Día de los Muertos on November 1 and 2. Therefore, the Día de los Muertos and the Day of the Dead are very different celebrations, be careful not to get confused!
How is Día de los Muertos celebrated in Mexico?
Popular belief is that the souls of departed loved ones return from the “afterlife” or “paradise” during the Día de los Muertos. Because of this, they are greeted with an offering of their favorite foods and drinks in life, fruits, sugar skulls - it is said that offering it to a dead person guarantees their place in paradise, and, if applicable, toys for the children. deceased children.
Another important part of the tradition is visiting cemeteries on these days. Usually, regardless of whether it is during the day or at night, families get together, go to the cemetery and place candles under the tombs of loved ones as a way to light the path of their souls.
In general, offerings are offered on altars that are mounted with flowers - mainly marigolds, and photos of loved ones who have passed away. Families celebrate a lot with lots of songs, food, in addition to drawing Mexican skulls on their faces - the figure of Catrina is a great example of this.
Parades through the city streets and decorated houses are also a landmark of this date.
Día de los Muertos and its influence in other countries of the globe
In addition to Mexico, Día de los Muertos is also celebrated in other countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, the United States, Canada and Brazil. In these countries, some people go out on the streets with a Mexican skull on their face, as a way of symbolizing the parades that take place in Mexican cities. In addition, it is possible to notice an insertion of the Día de los Muertos in schools, so that children can get to know Latin culture even more.
Some other countries, like Spain, are still introducing this culture in some parts of the cities, which is extremely important for the advancement of Latin art worldwide.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that there is already a representation of this commemoration in the area of cinema. The great Disney movie called “Viva - life is a party” portrays exactly the Día de los Muertos and the importance of this date for Mexicans. If you want to learn even more about this great cultural festivity, I advise you to watch this amazing movie and prepare some tissues too.
So, did you like to know a little more about the Día de los Muertos and its influence in other parts of the world? If so, keep following us here and on our social networks to receive even more information about our projects. Enjoy and come meet Easy Peasy Brazil! Book your free trial class now using the link below.
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Fontes: https://www.todamateria.com.br/dia-muertos/https://diariocorr
eo.pe/mundo/dia-de-los-muertos-en-mexico-782819/?ref=dcrSobre a autora:
Passionate about languages and education, since she was 18 years old, the author Luana has been teaching English and Portuguese to people of different ages. Currently, after studying Spanish for a few years and having achieved the maximum grade on the SIELE proficiency exam, she also teaches Spanish. At Easy Peasy Brazil, in addition to teaching, she is also living the experience of being able to write and disseminate even more information to others.
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