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November 1st, All Saints Day, and November 2nd, All Souls Day, are marked throughout Mexico by customs that vary according to the ethnic roots of each region. Common to all are colorful adornments and lively reunions at family burial plots, the preparation of special foods, offerings laid out for the departed on commemorative altars and religious rites that are likely to include fireworks.
In most localities November 1st is for the remembrance of deceased infants and children, often referred to as los angelitos (little angels). Those who have died as adults are honored November 2nd.
From mid-October through the first week of November, markets and shops all over Mexico are stocked with the special paraphernalia for El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). These include skeletons and other toys; intricate tissue paper cut-outs called papel picado; elaborate wreaths and crosses decorated with paper or silk flowers; candles and votive lights; and fresh seasonal flowers, including cempazuchiles (marigolds) and barro de obispo. Among the edible treats are skulls, coffins and the like made from sugar, chocolate or amaranth seeds and special baked goods, notably sugary sweet rolls called pan de muerto that come in various sizes topped with bits of dough shaped like bones and unadorned dark breads molded into humanoid figures called animas (souls). All of these treats are destined for the buyer's ofrenda de muertos (offering to the dead).
At home members of the family use the purchases to elaborate an altar in honor of deceased relatives, decorating it with papel picado, candles, flowers, photographs of the departed, candy skulls inscribed with the name of the deceased, and a selection of his or her favorite food and beverage. Often including bottles of beer or tequila, cups of atole (corn gruel) or coffee, and fresh water, as well as platters of rice, beans, chicken or meat in mole sauce, candied pumpkin or sweet potatoes and breads.
The spirits of the dead are expected to pay a holiday visit home and should be provided with sustenance for the journey. A wash basin and clean hand towel are provided so that visiting souls can clean before the feast. The offering may also include a pack of cigarettes for the enjoyment of former smokers, or a selection of toys and extra sweets for deceased children.
In setting up the altar, a designated area of the home is cleared of its normal furnishings. The arrangement often consists of a table and several wooden crates placed in tiers and covered with clean linens. The offerings are then laid out in an artistic and symmetrical fashion. The smell of burning copal (incense) and the light of numerous candles are intended to help the departed find their way.
Meanwhile, at the family burial plot in the local cemetery, relatives clean up each gravesite. In rural villages this may entail cutting down weeds that have grown during the rainy season, as well as giving tombs a fresh coat of paint after making any structural repairs. The graves are then decorated according to local custom. The tomb may be simply adorned by a cross formed of marigold petals or embellished with colorful coronas (wreaths) and fresh or artificial floral arrangements. In many areas children's graves are festooned with brightly colored paper streamers or other festive adornments.
On November 2nd family members gather at the cemetery for gravesite reunions more festive than solemn. Some bring along picnic baskets, bottles of tequila for the departed. Local merchants set up provisional stands outside the cemetery gates to sell food and drinks. The reports of pyrontechnic rockets may announce the commencement of an open-air memorial mass, the ocassion's most solemn interlude.
While death is a topic largely avoided in the USA, the remembrance of deceased ancestors and loved ones is traditional among diverse cultures around the globe, often marked by lighting candles or lamps and laying out offerings of food and drink. Such celebrations can be traced back as far as the days of ancient Egypt when departed souls were honored during the great festival of Osiris.
In Mexico the Day of the Dead is a holiday that tends to be a subject of fascination for visitors from abroad. With its rare mix of pre-Hispanic and Roman Catholic rituals, it is also a perfect illustration of pre-Hispanic and Spanish cultures that has come to define the country and its people.
Death held a significant place in the pantheons and rituals of Mexico's ancient civilizations. Among the Aztecs, for example, it was considered a blessing to die in childbirth, battle or human sacrifice, for these assured the victim a desirable destination in the afterlife. The success of the Spaniard's spiritual conquest in Mexico is due in part to their willingness to incorporate certain pre-Hispanic customs into Christian practices.
Most Mexican guidebooks make special mention of Day of the Dead customs, focusing on the celebrated all-night candlelight vigils in cemeteries at Janitzio Island and Mixquic, to the extent that either may draw nearly as many awed observers as celebrants.
These Day of the Dead rituals are echoed in cities and villages throughout Mexico. As each locality offers distinctive traditions and a unique flavor bound to fascinate the curious traveler, a visit to any Mexican cemetery would be a worthwhile addition to the itinerary of anyone touring the country this time of year.
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