What is Day of the Dead? Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated on October 31 - November 2 of each year. In Spanish, this holiday is called Día de los Muertos and/or Día de Muertos - the correct term depends on who you talk to, but generally both are used by native Spanish speakers and both are understood globally to refer to Day of the Dead. Sometimes youll also see these terms in the plural – Days of the Dead or Días de los Muertos, because technically the holidays fall over a span of days. Day of the Dead has gained worldwide popularity in recent years as it has spread from Mexico to America and beyond. It is now celebrated by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and countless others around the globe who feel a deep kinship with these two special days that honor the dead. Why is Día de los Muertos such a fascinating holiday? Foremost, Día de los Muertos is a time of celebration. Although losing someone is undeniably a somber and life-changing event, Día de Muertos provides people with the opportunity to rejoice in the living memories of their loved ones. The Días de Muertos serve as a positive affirmation of the cycle of life and death, allowing people to reconnect with the spirits of their loved ones on the Other Side. Cleaning and decorating graves for Dia de los Muertos in a Mexican cemeteryCleaning and decorating graves for Día de los Muertos Día de Muertos occurs on many levels: as a personal experience a family event a social gathering and a community celebration. We were all born and one day we will all die, a concept that Día de los Muertos helps us acknowledge and internalize, so that we may live our lives with more awareness and meaning. Día de los Muertos expresses the beauty and mystery of life and death. For many, it is a time of partying and celebration; for others, it is a time of introspection. At its most potent, it is a balanced blend of the two. Celebrating Day of the Dead Although it originated in Mexico, Día de los Muertos is now celebrated in many different parts of the world. This special holiday is colored and altered by the unique traditions and flavors of each city, region and country where it is celebrated as other cultures mix, blend, and adapt Day of the Dead rituals with their own local traditions to make the holiday their own… yet the overall meaning usually stays the same. This Day of the Dead site serves as an educational resource for people to learn about Día de los Muertos. For all intents and purposes, this site does not seek to be an exhaustive academic or anthropological study of the Día de los Muertos holiday and ensuing cultural phenomenon – it is merely a fun and helpful guide that provides insight on Mexicos most famous holiday and how its influence is being spread around the world. If youre doing academic research, please consult published books and articles from established institutions (such as museums or universities) for your references. Now lets celebrate Day of the Dead!
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 03:42:49 +0000
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