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Día de Muertos
El puente entre vivos y muertos — Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad
Culture
El puente entre vivos y muertos — Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad
History
Day of the Dead is not a copy of Halloween — it's a tradition spanning more than 3,000 years that fused Aztec rituals with Spanish Catholicism. The Aztecs celebrated Miccailhuitontli (festival of the small dead) and Hueymiccailhuitl (festival of the great dead) in August, presided over by the goddess Mictecacíhuatl. When the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth century, they shifted these festivals to November 1st and 2nd to coincide with All Saints' Day. The blend created a tradition unique in the world: a celebration of communion with ancestors, not fear of death. In 2008, UNESCO declared it Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The film Coco (Pixar, 2017) and González Iñárritu's graphic novel brought it to 190 countries.
Cultural significance
The ofrenda or altar of the dead is the heart of the celebration. It has several levels representing heaven, earth, and the underworld. It includes: a photo of the deceased, their favorite food, water for the journey, cempasúchil flowers (their scent guides the souls), candles, copal to cleanse the path, and a sugar skull with the name of the dead. Monarch butterflies, which arrive in Michoacán in November, are considered the souls of ancestors returning.
Where to experience it
Oaxaca de Juárez
The most authentic and artistic celebration. Nighttime processions to the General cemetery, parades and monumental altars in the markets.
Pátzcuaro y Janitzio
The island of Janitzio fills with candles on the lake. The procession by canoe across the water is one of Mexico's most beautiful spectacles.
Coyoacán y Mixquic
The Mixquic neighborhood preserves Mexico City's oldest tradition. The cemetery is illuminated with thousands of candles.
San Cristóbal de las Casas
Tzotzil and Tzeltal communities uniquely blend their Mayan rituals with Catholic tradition.
Huaquechula
The altars of Huaquechula are Mexico's most elaborate: some occupy entire rooms and have multiple levels.
Best dates to experience
November 1st and 2nd, though celebrations begin as early as October 28th. The night of November 1st to 2nd in the cemeteries is the climactic moment. In Oaxaca and Pátzcuaro, book your hotel at least 3 months in advance.
Mexican Culture
The bridge between the living and the dead. Cempasúchil altars, offerings and eternal memories.