Transcript Document

• a Mexican holiday that is celebrated October 31November 2
• it honors family and friends that have died
• focuses on life and celebration through food,
music, and gathering
• culturally death is not to be feared; it is a part of
life
• a continuation of life, a dream, in death they
would become truly awake
• Spanish conquistadors landed in Mexico
500 yrs ago
• encountered indigenous people who have
been practicing “El Día de Los Muertos” for
3,000 yrs
• a ritual the Spaniards would try to eradicate
• to encourage visits by the souls to celebrate
the life they had
• the souls will recognize that they are still
loved
• mixture of ancient Aztec tradition with
Christianity
- Death was not the end but the beginning of life
- Celebration of All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2)
• Aztecs honored the sun god
• dead spirits will get revenge on the living if they
get poor treatment during these days each year
• leaving nothing on the ofrenda causes the spirits to
be sad
• these superstitions inspire many people to
participate in this holiday celebration for this very
reason
• October 31st – November 2nd
• November 1st honors deceased children and
infants
• Los angelitos, having lived too short a time
to fall into sin, go straight to heaven
• November 2nd honors deceased adults
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mainly in Mexico
in villages more than cities (rural areas)
United States, and Central America
not celebrated in Spain
• visit and decorate grave sites with
marigolds, pictures, toys, and candles
• prepare and eat favorite foods of dead loved
ones
• ofrendas are made in homes
• music
• island located in the middle of Lake
Pátzcuaro
• everyone as a whole celebrates El Día de
Los Muertos
• it is believed that the island is a doorway to
heaven
• los angelitos
la calavera
cempasuchil
- skull
-marigolds
el pan de muerto
- dead bread
el copal
- incense
la fiesta
-party
la ofrenda
- offerings
el esqueleto
- skeleton
Rhonda Dorch
Jordan Chapman
Danielle Strange
Ashley Dillon
Des’Chatelets Hall
Kenneth Thomas