Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time of the year that people dedicate to celebrating loved ones that have passed. The belief is such that the beloved deceased can come through and visit them during this time. One of the best ways I’ve heard it described is “the veil between the world of the spirits and the living is lifted”.
Starting at midnight on November 1st is Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels). For this 24-hour period, the spirits of the deceased children are reunited with their families on the Earth plane. At midnight on November 2nd is Dia de los Difuntos (Spirits of the Adults). This time is then shifted to the return of the adults who have departed.
When I first heard about this, I was instantly intrigued. The idea of being able to connect with loved ones and joyously celebrate them encouraged me to look a little further. The whole reason Ty and I travel is to get out of our same old routines and environment to seek out the world beyond our own.
The part I loved best about Día de Los Muertos, is that they have put aside time each year to celebrate the people in their lives that have meant so much to them. It is such a sacred and touching way to keep the memories of those who have passed alive and honour them.
There are cities all over the world that celebrate this. We chose Oaxaca because it was a place that we had read a lot about and were excited to be in such a vibrant city that is known to have some of the best food in Mexico. Plus, it isn’t too big, so you can get to all the best areas on foot. For more information on the city itself, and what to do while you’re there, check my blog, Best Things to Do in Oaxaca to Have a Real Good Time
Many days before the event, the locals begin to decorate in preparation for what’s to come. We arrived on October 26th. and the celebrations were already getting on their way.
Once you arrive get a hold of a schedule, but be mindful that it doesn’t necessarily mean things will start on time. One night we waited for over 2 hours for a parade to start. My suggestion would be to take it all in stride. Our best moments during our trip, were when we just stumbled upon a parade or celebration.
*Now if after reading this, you think this is something you’d like to experience for yourself make sure to book your plane tickets and accommodations well in advance!
Now let’s get into, what you can expect to see during this time!
Tapete de Arena (Sand rug)
These are temporary elaborate works of art made from river sand that are mixed with pigments and look like a beautiful painting. This is a custom that goes back to prehistoric times. Originally made after someone is buried to aid the passage of the souls. It remains for 9 days, to represent the 9 months in the womb or 9 levels that one must take to reach their resting place.
Since the 1980’s artists in Oaxaca have been incorporating them into the Día de Los Muertos celebrations, to reflect the short time we have on this earth.
These tapestries are slowly and gracefully laid out in a few areas around the city. The night we arrived, we saw a large area that took up an entire block that the locals were working on. They had music playing and were drinking Cervezas while they worked. They must have had a busy night… by the time we made our way back to that neighbourhood the next day, it was completed.
Decorated Doors
The locals adorn the archways around the doors with bright orange and yellow cempasúchil (marigolds) flowers, bright pink cockscomb flowers, corn husks and skulls in an artistic way that will make you stop in the street to take notice.
Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead)
This is a light and eggy sweet bread baked during the week of Dia de Los Muertos. You will see them in loaf and roll shapes, representing bones. Many will have a little carita or skull face tucked into it before baking.
Alters
Alters are created as offerings to the family members and friends they want to honour and drawback to visit them during this time.
They include elements of water, earth, fire, and wind. These things are commonly represented with glasses of water, flowers, candles, and incense. They will often be displayed in tiers which are meant to symbolize the different levels a spirit must travel through to make their way back.
An oilcloth is laid out and pictures of the deceased alongside toys, jewelry, chocolates, sweet breads, fruit, tobacco, and tequila…. anything that the individual would find special or unique to them.
*These are meant to be appreciated from a distance.
Papier-Mâché Art
In Oaxaca, you will see large-scale skeletons that reach 20-30 feet tall and little ones as small as a few inches.
There are also Monos de Calenda (puppets) that are designed so the people can place them over their bodies and dance around during the parades, and some of these people will even be walking inside of them on stilts!
Celebrating in the Graveyards
Come nightfall, the locals will gather around their loved ones’ graves, light candles, sing songs, pour a few drinks and give cheer. This is an intimate time for families to spend time with the spirits of those passed on and share in the memories.
There are a few graveyards in and outside of the city that allow tours, but this was something that didn’t feel right for us. I think that if we had known a family that wanted to invite or include us, that would be different. I am not judging anyone who chooses to do one of these. It just wasn’t for us.
Paper Picado (paper banners)
Everywhere you look around the city, you’ll see these colourful banners strung across the streets. Some of them are cut into shapes that represent those who have passed. They flow in the wind reflecting its shadows on the buildings and streets below, creating gorgeous colourful hues. They are a subtle expression of how fragile and fleeting our time in this life can be.
Comparsa (Parades)
The parades take place during the day and in the evenings. The first one we saw was around noon, and it was led by a huge brass band marching down the street followed by hundreds of children dressed up and tossing candy out to the onlookers.
The ones during the day are usually comprised of dancing puppets, women dressed in traditional colourful skirts spinning around carrying baskets full of bread and flowers and an array of people dressed as La Catrina and El Catrin. They generally have a lighter feel about them, while the parades that start after dark bring out a myriad of creatures from legends and folklore, firecrackers, and fireworks. Needless to say, both are cool to see.
La Catrina and El Catrin
This was by far the one thing that stood out to us the most. The Iconic La Catrina and El Catrin, are symbols of the Day of the Dead. La Catrina is a strong symbol to remind us to be true to ourselves and celebrate today because we are all equal and one day, we will all just be bones.
Witnessing the creativity in their attire and makeup in person was incredible. I can only imagine the time and skill involved in putting it all together.
Painted faces
I did a lot of reading and asked a few locals how they felt about tourists painting their faces for Dia de los Muertos and the consensus was that it has become a popular thing to do and is accepted amongst the locals.
We decided to embrace the idea and went for it! There are many places that you can have this done, but the vast majority of it was being offered all along Alcalá, which is the same pedestrian street Santo Domingo Church is on.
There are also flower headbands you can purchase to complete the look. It was pretty cool to walk the streets and so many artfully painted faces
Xolos (Hairless dogs)
Mans’ best friend is sacred around Mexico and the Xoloitzcuintli goes way back to Aztec times and is believed to help guide the spirits of their people to their final resting place. They are a representation of the god of fire and lighting.
We saw a couple of these cute little guys around town. I must say, they do seem to have a special aura about them.
Keep your eyes out, they are often used in various forms of artwork and many murals throughout the city.
*Have you ever seen the movie Coco? Well, we were told by a local that the movie is a beautiful representation of the Day of the Dead. There’s even a Xolos Dog in the movie! Extensive research went into the project to make sure it was an accurate depiction of these time-honoured traditions.
Now I don’t know about you, but I loved that movie. It is a nice way to introduce the concepts of Dia de Los Muertos to children and adults.
We absolutely loved our time in this city. There are people I have lost in my life that I wanted to honour on this trip. During our time in Oaxaca, I had so many moments where I got emotional and felt close to them. I was truly grateful to put aside time to reflect and give them the space to rejoice in the moments I had with them on this earth.
Check out these blogs for more cool things to do in Mexico!
