To understand this holiday better, here’s a bit of history, then I will tell you how you can celebrate the the Day of the dead in Mexico. After all, I got drenched in the parade recording this video so you won’t see another version like this.
Dia de los Muertos means day of the dead in Spanish. In Mexico, it is a more significant holiday than Halloween, therefore it is not to be confused with halloween. It is actually celebrated for several days including parades, offerings, and visits to the cemetery. In Mexico City where I stayed, there were two parades on consecutive weekends.
The idea is that people pray for remembrance of their friends and relatives which passed away. They believe that the soul has to travel to the land of the dead. Indigenous Mexicans also believe the soul is eternal and can travel from this world to the next.
This is why they providing offerings called ofrendas such as:
marigold flowers which yellow like to sen to represent life;
food especially sweet buns known as pan de muerto to represent earth;
and decorations to help the dead on their journey.
Did you know prior to Spanish colonialization, the brutal Aztec empire celebrated day of the dead during summer for an entire month? It was the same time as the corn harvest life cycle where real human skulls paid homage to the dead.
The Spaniards fought to convert the native population to catholicism. It is only due to this Christianity that the holiday was re-scheduled to November 1 to associate with All saints day, the belief that there’s a spiritual bond between the living and those in heaven which is the only similarity.
Why are there so many decorations of skulls? Well in the early 19th century, an illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada drew a picture of what he believed the Aztec goddess, Mictecacihuatl, of the underworld should look like. This became know as the skeleton of Catrina. Not to mention skulls were trophies after the brutal Aztec sacrifices. I don’t know how a skull is supposed symbolize rebirth but that’s what is said about them.
Did you watch Spectre, the 2015 James Bond movie? It was due to this film that Mexico City held its first-ever Day of the dead parade. Since then, the parading has spread all over Mexico and even to the United States. Parades vary among regions and villages how Day of the dead is celebrated today. Prior to the day of the dead, families visit tombs of their loved ones for a night vigil.
Alebrijes originated in a dream of a Mexican artist. He became ill and during his sleep, he dreamt of walking in a forest where the environment morphed into creatures such as a donkey with butterfly wings, a rooster with bull horns, and a lion with an eagle head. Those creatures were shouting alebrijes.
His realized his vision into sculptures which made him famous in Mexico. In 1990, Pedro Linares received the National Arts and Science award. Two years later he died at the age of 85.
The Parade
In Mexico City, the parade takes places on 4km of passes de la Reforma. The police will set up barricades along the street so the only places to cross will be the metro and the tunnel below Estela de Luz statue.
You will want to arrive early before the announced if you want a good view. People will wait on the street hours prior to the start of the parade.
Not many locals will be dressed for attendance however they will paint their faces. It costs $5-$10 to get your face painted on the street throughout the weekend. Price will depend on the painter and the style. The most typical is the Catrina face.
Parties are not limited to October 31st, so go out as often as you can to fully enjoy the festivities.