What is it and How is it Celebrated?
Though typically misunderstood and misrepresented as a Halloween-esque holiday, the Day of the Dead – or Dia de los Muertos – is a symbolic day to honor the deceased.
Every year here at CalPac, online Spanish teacher, Señora Canosa hosts a special Día de los Muertos virtual field trip! Donned in her incredibly cool sugar skull makeup, Señora Canosa walks CalPac online students through the Celebration of the Day of the Dead. Here are a few key take-aways from this awesome virtual field trip:
How it Began
The Day of the Dead dates back to before Columbus. In what is now central Mexico, he Aztecs used this two-day celebration to honor loved ones who had passed. Originally celebrated between July and August, the Spainiards moved this indigenous celebration to All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd).
November 1st was the day to remember children and November 2nd was the day to remember adults. Indigenous traditions fused with Catholic practices to merge together celebration of those who had passed on with ideas of the afterlife to create the Día de los Muertos we see celebrated today.
How it is Celebrated
There are many traditional ways to celebrate this holiday. One of the most important is setting up altars, or ofrendas, where they leave offerings to their loved one’s passed on soul. These offerings can include photos, their loved one’s favorite things or food, as well as traditional pan de muerto (a special bread). Calacas, or sugar skulls, are also commonly placed on the altar.
All of these offering are placed on the ofrenda among flowers – specifically marigolds, whose scent are said to guide the souls of loved ones home. Families bring food gather on the night of November 2nd at the cemetery to share in the celebration.
It is a Celebration
It’s a time of happiness! It’s easy to feel sadness when thinking of loved ones who are no longer with us, but this holiday is about celebrating and remembering their lives and the impact they had on us. This act of remembrance is a way for the stories of deceased family members to be passed on to the next generation so that their lives and stories are not forgotten. It keeps their memories alive!
Not Every Celebration is the Same
Each family and culture celebrates Día de los Muertos in their own way, with their own traditions. As with most holidays, it’s not one-size-fits-all! Families truly cater the holiday to their own traditions and celebrate accordingly.
Feliz Día de los Muertos!
CalPac loves being able to learn more about our diverse online student community by celebrating their traditions, of which Día de los Muertos is one of many! If you missed Señora Canosa’s amazing sugar skull make up look at the virtual field trip, see it below!
We hope to see you at next years Día de los Muertos celebration!
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This post first appeared on Online School Grades 6-12 In California | CalPac, please read the originial post: here
