Day of the dead 2013
Date: October 31, 2013 -November 2, 2013
Place : Mexico
Day of the Dead is a famous holiday celebrated in Latin America and is very special in Mexico. This festival marks the gatherings of the families and friends to pray for the lives of people who have died. The celebrations of Day of the Dead takes place at October 31, November 1 and 2 in link-up with other famous festive days like Christian triduum of Hallowmas: All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s day and All Soul’s day. People believe that the souls of the dead person come back to visit their dear ones.
The dead of the day is a famous day to remember, celebrate and prepare special foods in respect with the people who have died. On this special day the streets of Mexico, near the cemeteries are filled with various kinds of decorations including flowers, papel picado, candy calaveras: skulls and skeletons and parades. People visit the graves with favorite foods, beverages, sugar skulls, marigolds and etc as gifts to their dead one.
The planning to celebrate the day of the dead will go on through out the year, along with collecting goods that are to be offered to the departed. In the three-day time period families generally clean and decorate graves; most of the people visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and they decorate the graves with offerings, which often include orange Mexican marigolds.
The day of the dead in Mexico can be traced from a Colombian past, where people used to celebrate the deaths of their ancestors. For nearly 2500-3000 years it had been observed. In the past era skulls are used as trophies to represent the and to symbolize death and rebirth. And now it became a modern Day of the Dead which is seen in the ninth month of the Aztec calender, nearly beginning of the August. The festivities are dedicated to the god ‘Lady of the Dead’ – Catrina.
In most of the regions of the Mexico, November 1 is dedicated to honor children and infants, where as adults are honored on November 2. It is referred to November 1 as Day of the Little Angels and November 2 as Day of the Dead. People visit the cemeteries by building the private altars that contains photos of the deceased, favorite food and beverages memorabilia of the deceased. They believe that souls will hear the prayers and comments of the living loved one’s. Opposite to the nature, celebrations take turn in a happy mood with funny events and it is not a sad or depressing time, but it is a time for celebration and happiness. It might sound quirk but Mexicans show their reaction to the death with the mourning along with joy and happiness.
Mexicans show their fear by living alongside with death. Living alongside death represents that Mexicans have learned to accept it within their lives. They treat death is common in everyday life. It is also visible in their art and even in children’s toys. Thought it is not honored as it is in other cultures.
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