Dia de los Muertos - A Short History and Art of the Area

A ceramic copy of a pre-Colombian Dia de los Muertos skeleton.

The history of the evolution of the modern celebration of Dia de los Muertos is a long one, dating back 2500 - 3000 years ago.  Before the Spaniards invaded Mesoamerica, many cultures flourished and fell in pre-Colombian Mexico:  the Olmecs, the Mayans, the Purepecha, the Aztecs, among others.  Even though their cultures were different, they all shared a common belief in the afterlife.  People didn't cease to exist when they died; rather death was a continuance of life in an afterworld.  Because of the cyclical nature of life and death, death was celebrated, not feared.  

A brightly painted dancer with the trumpet player of the mariachi band in the background.

Each year during the time of corn harvests (the end of July - mid-August), the Aztecs held a month long festival to celebrate their ancestors and honor the goddess Mictecacihuatl, Queen of the Underworld or Lady of the Dead.  The underworld was know as Mictlan and was not a horrific, dark place of suffering, but a peaceful realm where souls rested until the days they could visit the living.  The Aztecs believed those who had gone wanted to be celebrated rather than mourned, that they would be insulted by sadness.  

All mariachi bands need a singing accordion player.

After the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs in 1521, they tried to suppress the old Aztec rituals and force the Aztecs to adopt their Catholic religion.  What happened was a blend of beliefs.  The festival was shortened to two days, November 1 and 2 of each year to correspond to the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the indigenous peoples were convinced to attend mass on those two days.  However, many of the native customs and traditions prevailed.  Even the old Aztec goddess, Mictecacihuatl, evolved into the modern "La Calavera Catrina" (or just "Catrina"), a tall, skeletal female dressed in fancy clothes and giant hats, a symbol that death is an equalizing force both for the rich and the poor. 

Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum of birth, childhood, adulthood and old age.  November 1, called Dia de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) or Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels), celebrates the babies and children who passed on.  November 2 is Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and honors adults.  Since the dead are a part of the community, the celebration includes an invitation for the dead to return to their family for a visit.  Graves are cleaned and decorated, often with ofrendas (altars) containing favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed.  Flowers (typically orange marigolds), bread of the dead and sugar or chocolate skulls, inscribed with the name of the deceased on the forehead, are often left.  Toys and candies can be left for the angelitos and cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the spirits of adults.  Elaborate ofrendas are also constructed at home.  Celebrations can be humorous as funny events about the deceased are shared.  The intent is to encourage the visits of the departed souls so the souls will hear the prayers and comments of the living, to share in the celebrations.  Offerings, songs, respect and humor are all common expressions toward death.

Maybe this dapper gentleman is the husband of the well dressed Catrina above?

Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican national holiday and the country's largest celebration of the year.  But Dia de los Muertos extends well beyond Mexico to most Central and South American countries, to the United States, to Spain and many other countries around the world.  

Here are some more Dia de los Muertos pieces I recently saw (or now own):

Folk art painting of Dia de los Muertos dancers.

I recently purchased this Frida Kahlo Catrina holding a parrot - she stands in a place of honor on a bookshelf near my computer in front of the "Song of Ice and Fire" novels and collections of shorts stories by George R.R. Martin.  

A colorful sugar skull plate that was given to me by a friend

Dia de los Muertos art is not limited to humans.  I am particularly fascinated with the portrayal of animals, especially dogs.

A skeleton vaquero on his skeleton horse.

A Dia de los Muertos chameleon with bobbing head

These Dia de los Muertos dogs are pieces I own:

A skeleton dog walking his skeleton human - this is a tile / trivet.

Dia de los Muertos chihuahua plate - I use this as part of my Arts Festivals booth highlighting my Day of the Dead jewelry.  People really take notice . . . and want to buy the plate!

A reusable grocery bag with a handsome sugar skull/skeleton dog.

Another reusable grocery bag with a Dia de los Muertos dog.  Both of the bags were given to me by long time friend and fellow Dia de los Muertos enthusiast, Jody.

I hope you enjoyed the short history of Dia de los Muertos, how it came to be and what it signifies.  To tell the truth, I love the joyous celebration of death as opposed to the scariness of the more European-style Halloween.  Many Dia de los Muertos celebrations take place here in El Paso.  I hope to participate in one this year.

Thank you for stopping by.  Any comments will be greatly appreciated and will make my day!