In the places where the tradition is more rooted, the altars begin to take shape on October 28 and reach their maximum splendor on November 2. The most representative element of the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico is the altars with their offerings, a representation of our vision about death, full of allegories and meanings. The altars, the offerings, their symbolism In some regions of the south of the country, on the 31st, our ancestors are awaited, the dead of the dead, those we did not know.Īnother good example is Baja California, where on November 2 all the souls are received, or the Tzeltal group in Chiapas, which is ruled by the Mayan calendar and its celebration goes from October 15 to November 2. For example, in Puebla and Veracruz, on October 29 and 30, new deceased are celebrated, no longer than one year also those who died the month before the celebration do not receive an offering since they do not have time to get permission to return. However, this order varies in each region. November 1: Children, also referred to as “little angels”.ĭay of the Dead in Puerto Vallarta: The Complete Guide October 31: the limbos, those who were never born or did not receive the baptism. that you remember them the orphans and the criminals. October 30: to lonely and forgotten souls, who have no relatives. October 28: the day that receives those who died because of an accident and could never reach their destination, or, those who had a sudden and violent death. Tells the story and the tradition that has passed from mouth to mouth between generations, that the souls arrive in order at 12 o’clock of each day: ![]() Thus, in some regions, the festivities begin on October 25 or 28, and end, depending on local customs, on November 2 or 3. However, for those who follow the indigenous customs, the celebration begins the last week of October and ends the first days of November. It was not until the arrival of the conquerors, when the spread of Christianity introduced to our culture the terror of death and hell However, the evangelizers had to give in to the strong beliefs of the natives, giving rise to a syncretism between Spanish and indigenous customs, which gave rise to what we know today as the Day of the Dead celebration.Īccording to the Catholic Church, the days designated to honor the dead are November 1 and 2, the days of All Saints and Faithful Dead, respectively. Unlike the Christian religion, in the Mictlán there were no moral connotations of hell or heaven, however, to reach it the dead had to, for four years, go through various tests found in different levels of the underworld, finally arrive at the place of his eternal rest, free himself of his tonally or soul and be compensated by the presence of Tonatiuh, the god of the Sun, at the end of the journey. The Tlalocán, where those who died because of water, lightning, or diseases Finally, the Tonacacuauhtitlan was the place where the children who had not tasted corn, the symbol of the land, and therefore had not had contact with death there, they were fed by the tree that provides sustenance and where they stayed until they received the opportunity of a second life, the possibility of reincarnating. In its culture, there was the Tonatiuhichan, where those who died in war or in labor arrived. The most important was the festival of the fleshless that was celebrated in the ninth month, close to August, and was presided over by the goddess Michecacíhuatl, mistress of the dead and queen of Mictlán, and by Mictlantecuhtli, lord of the place of the dead and god of the shadows.įeel alive during Mexico’s Day of the Dead in Puerto Vallartaīut the Mictlán, where all the dead arrived that had perished of natural causes, was not the only destiny of the deceased. In the 18 months of the Mexica calendar, you can see that there are at least six celebrations dedicated to the dead. ![]() The prehispanic cultures shared the belief that there is an animistic and immortal entity that gives conscience to the human being and that after death he continues his way in the world of the dead, where he still needs tools, utensils, and food. Because, without a doubt, you will want to witness this amazing time in Mexico, and you will have a better understanding of the holiday and share it with your friends.ĭeath has been in all cultures and throughout history, an event that invites reflection, rituals, ceremonies, the search for answers, which causes fear, admiration, and uncertainty. Now that the celebrations of this year are approaching, it is a good time to talk about everything that you may experience that represents the origin of the tradition, what we have been gradually forgetting, the symbolism of the altars and the different activities that frame the largest tradition in Mexico.
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