Traditional dia de los muertos altar how to#

Halloween has ancient Celtic roots, while Day of the Dead has its own origins that date back to the Indigenous people of Mexico and Central America.Īlfredo Martinez // Getty Images The holiday first began with the Aztecs. While Halloween and Day of the Dead occur nearly in tandem and share similar customs (candy, face painting, and community gathering), the two are not related. And at Guanajuato's University of Guanajuato, students create an altar (much-loved by photo-snapping tourists) that honors deceased scholars.ĭí a de los Muertos is not connected to Halloween. The people of La Huasteca Potosina indulge in day-long parties, while Aguascalientes' festival of skulls have near week-long celebrations that include their annual skeleton parade, Legends of Mexico. National Geographic identifies Michoacán as the place to go for foodies. Mexico City has held a boisterous parade since 2016, complete with entertainers in bold costume, music and dance, and floats.

Traditional dia de los muertos altar how to#

Though these traditions are universal, various regions across the country also have their own unique takes on how to honor the dead. The community looks at death as an opportunity for renewed life.ĭay of the Dead is celebrated with parades, festivals, and more across Mexico. Here's a look at the Day of the Dead's rich history, and some facts you might not have known about the Mexican holiday.ĭía de los Muertos is not a somber occasion.ĭuring the ancient Mexican holiday, it's believed that spirits of the dead momentarily return to the land of the living, for a brief reunion. It’s about joy and color and flavor and celebration, all the mixed emotions,' James Beard Award-winning chef Pati Jinich adds.'It’s a very Mexican thing to have extreme sadness with extreme joy at the same time.' It’s not morbid, and it’s not about being spooky. 'This tradition is rooted in the native Mexican belief that life on earth is a preparation for the next world and of the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the dead,' Juan Aguirre, Executive Director of the Mexican culture non-profit Mano a Mano tells Oprah Daily.īut what is at the heart of these beloved festivities? Here's a look at the Day of the Dead's rich history, and some facts you might not have known about the Mexican holiday. 15 Hispanic and Latinx Artists You Need to Follow.Hispanic Heritage Month Is Just Around the Corner.

He places them in the center of another variety of pan de muerto.

The caritas, sometimes representing the visage of an angel or the Virgin Mary, are made with dried pieces of dough that are decorated with vegetable paint. Reynoso Pérez, who is from Veracruz in Mexico, also makes another bread with sesame seeds and caritas, or little faces, he imports from Oaxaca. Reynoso Pérez said is like a hamburger bun and a concha combined, is covered in white sugar and tastes like a flower. It pays tribute to the dead with pieces shaped like bones and a small circle in the middle to represent the skull. His bread is also round, representing the circle of life. Hernández of La Patrona Bakery uses anise seeds, Jaime Reynoso Pérez, an owner and baker at La Migaja Mexican Bakery inside the Mi Rinconcito Mexicano restaurant in Miami, uses orange blossom. There are dozens of different types of pan de muerto, with bakers offering their own interpretations, based on where they live and where they’re from.