Day of the Dead, a food-filled holiday that has nothing to do with Halloween

At midnight on Nov. 1, Dia de Los Muertos begins. It is a significant day on the Mexican calendar, and a holiday that is widely misunderstood in the United States.

First things first: It has nothing to do with Halloween. It's a family time, joyful and uplifting, its own celebration. It's probably too late to put this skull-faced genie back in the bottle, but some Mexican Americans feel it's disrespectful to wear or celebrate anything to do with Day of the Dead on Halloween, or to incorporate the two. (The upcoming Disney/Pixar movie, "Coco," which includes a young boy's journey in the "Land of the Dead," is set for Oct. 27 release in Mexico but has a deliberately delayed release date of Nov. 22 in the United States for this reason, according to bloggers invited to press events.)

Dia de Los Muertos runs through Nov. 2. It is when the souls of the dead are invited back to reunite with their loved ones in the land of the living. The first night, Nov. 1, is for children who have died, and Nov. 2 is for adults. The holiday affirms that death is part of the cycle of life; it is not to be feared. It is not sad or scary.

Dia de Los Muertos dates back 3,000 years and began with Aztecs honoring of the dead, then evolved after Catholicism arrived in the region. It coincides with the Catholic feast days of All Souls Day and All Saints Day. Families celebrate by visiting ancestors in cemeteries, cleaning tombs, building decorations and picnicking as mariachis stroll around. The magic of the candle-lit, flower-bedecked cemeteries, particularly in Oaxaca, draws tourists from all over the world.

Although it's most popular in Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated in Central America and cities in this country with large Mexican populations. For example, on the Sunday after the holiday Tucson, Arizona, has an All Souls Procession Parade, a candle-lit parade begun by an artist (no corporate sponsors, no big donors) in which hundreds of people show up with costumes, in street clothes and with maximum creativity. After only a few years, it has become a signature event of the city.

The illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) satirized death and citizens who imitated the styles of white people with skeletons performing everyday activities. Posada created the character of La Catrina, the female skeleton in a fancy hat and long dress, which has become one of the main symbols of the holiday.

In homes, families create beautiful ofrendas, or altars. When those souls come back, they are thirsty and hungry. Food and drink are a significant part of Dia de Los Muertos.

It's dusty, hot work traveling back from the dead. For the first story I ever wrote about this holiday, years ago in Arizona, I interviewed a folklorist who told me about a Big Gulp from a 7-11 convenience store as an offering.

The altars honor the ancestors. Like St. Joseph altars, ofrendas have three levels. The centerpiece is a photo of the loved one, and personal possessions may be included (a favorite cap or tools, for example) to create a familiar setting for the spirit. Papel picado, paper cutouts used as decorations throughout the year, include images of skulls for Day of the Dead and represent the sky, wind and fragility. Copal, a pine resin incense that dates back to the Aztecs, helps attract spirits. Saints important to the family may be represented as well; the Virgin of Guadalupe is popularly seen.

Source: nola