By: Amy C. Keiper, also known as the writer, LC Harrison
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
is traditionally about a three day celebration coinciding with All
Saint’s and All Soul’s Days and even All Hallow’s Eve, usually
around November 2 each year, starting activities on November 1.
It is an ancient tradition from Mexico and the Aztecs, and is a time
to honor ancestors, spirits, and souls of the deceased. In modern
times the traditions of Day of the Dead have blended with All
Saint’s and All Soul’s Day. All Soul’s Day is a time to honor
departed loved ones, just as the Day of the Dead, when families
decorate the tombs of their loved ones. In Day of the Dead, there
are a few separate celebrations: one for children, one associated
with All Saint’s Day, and one for celebrating and honoring
ancestors. The celebration centered on children is the first
activity for Day of the Dead. During this time children set up altars
to acknowledge the spirits of deceased children. Around All Saint’s
Day it is believed adult spirits visit their loved ones. Lastly,
families go to cemeteries and decorate the tombs of their ancestors.
The symbols associated with Day of the Dead are Marigolds, sugar
skulls, and skeletons. There are often lavish and colorful
decorations including these symbols. Families often take favorite
incenses, foods, fruits, beverages, and mementos of loved ones with
them to the cemetery. There are even toys set out for departed
children. It is a time for remembering, and celebrating the departed
with joy and love; as well as, a time for connecting with spirit and
ancestral wisdom. Common activities include setting up small spirit
altars, decorating sugar skulls, making decorations, and even
dressing in costumes much like Halloween. Face painting is also
practiced, and masks may be worn. Altars may include candles (often
chocolate scented), marigolds (usually common or Tagetes Marigold,
but Calendula is also used), photos, a bowl of salt to represent the
continuity of life, fresh fruit, favorite foods and items of the
departed, incense, and sugar skulls. There is also the art of paper
cutting known as Papel Picado which is practiced making images of
cheerful skeletons out of colorful tissue paper, that looks almost
lace like when finished. Pan de Muerto, which is a bread consisting
of flour, eggs, milk, butter and yeast, often flavored with anise
seed, or orange zest, or even sometimes cinnamon is made. Pan de
Muerto is sometimes even shaped into the form of skulls. This bread
is placed on altars, and enjoyed throughout celebrations. There are
also similar traditions around the world that bring even more ways to
connect with spirit. Many are familiar with the traditions of
Samhain, which have become associated with Halloween. Such as the
custom of dressing in costume to fool spirits that were thought to
wander between the otherworld of spirit and among the seen world, as
the ancient Celts felt the veil would be more thin on the dark
nights surrounding October 31 and November 1. The Celts would visit
among neighbors sharing poetry and receiving nuts and apples. Like
Day of the Dead, during Samhain food and other offerings were placed
for honoring ancestors and visiting spirits and fairies. In Japan,
Obon is a time recognized in July and August for honoring ancestors,
and is considered a time when ancestors may visit loved ones. Aside
from festival activities, lanterns are hung for Obon to guide loved
ones as they journey, there is dancing, respect is paid at graves,
and offerings of food and flowers are made at temples and home
ancestral altars. At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are placed in
rivers, lakes, and the sea to guide spirits home. Another tradition
for spirit comes from the Norse and is called Álfablót or the
Elven Sacrifice, where spirits of nature and the departed warriors
are honored. Álfablót is a time for ancestor worship and
celebrating the life force of family, and has a second celebration
around the Winter Solstice to honor female relatives. Prayers and
offerings of mead and food were made and addressed to ancestors and
the Elves for protection during winter, and for an abundant return in
spring. For incorporating these traditions and to add connection of
spirit to your own activities, consider when decorating to add
marigolds, which are a symbol of the cycle of life, death and
rebirth, as well as other flowers like heather for ancestral wisdom
and favorites of loved ones might make for nice decorations along
with paper lanterns, lights, and sugar skulls and skeletons. You
could decorate with candles in favorite colors and anoint them with
a chocolate perfume oil. There are endless possibilities in making a
colorful and thoughtful space to remember loved ones and connect
with spirit and ancestral wisdom.
