day of the dead

On October thirty-first, many Americans will celebrate Halloween. People dress to look like scary creatures such as monsters, witches or ghosts. Children go door to door in their neighborhoods to “trick or treat” and collect sweets. But people from Mexico and Central America do things a little differently. For them, October thirty-first marks the beginning of celebrations for “Dia de Los Muertos”, or “Day of the Dead.”

Day of the Dead takes place on November first. It is connected to the Roman Catholic “All Souls’ Day,” on November second.

Dia de Los Muertos honors the memory of loved ones who have died. But it also celebrates the continuation of life. The ancient tradition started among the native cultures of Mexico. It has its roots in an Aztec tradition of honoring and remembering the dead.

When the Spanish came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they celebrated the Christian holiday of All Souls’ Day in which dead loved ones are also honored. Day of the Dead developed into a combination of both traditions.

People celebrate Day of the Dead on November first and second. Families visit the burial places of their loved ones and make their graves beautiful. They place orange marigold flowers and lighted candles. They bring special food and drinks and spend the night celebrating and telling stories with other members of their community.

Traditional food includes tamales and “pan de muerto,” a sweetened bread formed in the shape of a person. Friends and family exchange presents such as “calaveras,\" sugar candies in the form of a skeleton head. Families have special places in their homes called altars. Here they place flowers, candles and photographs of the loved one being remembered.

Many immigrants from Mexico and Central America keep Day of the Dead alive in the United States. In Los Angeles, California, there are more than ten events taking place across the city. One of them will bring people to the famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It will hold a parade with traditional Aztec blessings and costumed dance performances. There will also be arts and crafts on display, including more than one hundred altars built by members of the nearby community. And, of course, there will be a lot of traditional foods to eat.

Similar events will take place in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, New York and many other states around the country.