Hello and welcome back everyone! November 2nd is the Day of the Dead celebration and not only is it a rich cultural celebration, the imagery and art that go along with the day are fascinating! Day of the Dead as we know it today is the final day of a three-day celebration starting on October 31st, however the practice itself is nearly 3,000 years old dating back to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
Upon death, it was believed that the deceased would travel to the Land of the Dead, which was a journey that could take several years to complete, before the arriving at their final resting place. In Nahua rituals, food, water, and various tools were offered to the deceased to help aid them in their journey, which has since spilled into contemporary practices in which offerings are placed in alters called ofrendas in the family’s homes.
The most recognizable figures in the practice are calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls) which now bleed into the Halloween decorations offered in stores. Artist José Guadalupe Posada often used skeletal figures in his work to mock politicians and make commentary on revolutionary politics. His work La Calavera Catrina depicts a tall skeletal woman wearing a makeup and a fancy dress, a commentary on how Mexicans were adopting European fashion over their own traditional clothing and heritage. This depiction of a skeleton was then adopted as one of the most recognizable Day of the Dead icons. Artist and husband of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, used La Catrina in one of his murals titled Dreams of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park depicting 400 years of Mexican history. In this depiction, Rivera painted himself as a child holding La Catrina’s hand while she wears a fancy dress and a feather hat.
In contemporary celebrations, people adorn skull masks and eat sugar candies shaped like skulls; In pop culture, depictions of Day of the Dead celebrations can be found in the 2015 James Bond movie Spectre, and in one of my favorites, the Disney and Pixar animated hit Coco. Halloween and Day of the Dead are very different celebrations, each with their own fascinating history and customs. This Day of the Dead, dive into the history and customs, who knows? You might just learn something new!
