Later skulls made with sugar, amaranth and chocolate were substituted.

Skulls: In the past real skulls were used.

It is used for decoration and to create paths to guide the spirits of our deceased.

Marigold flower: This flower with its fluffy appearance is known as the “Flower of 20 petals”.

As the incense, candles work to guide the souls to find their way to us.

Candles: These represent fire and light.

Copal incense: The smoke that it releases is the olfactory guide for our dead to come and visit us.

Pictures of the deceased: It is very common to put pictures of family members who are no longer with us.

According to tradition, during those dates all the souls came back to visit their relatives. Originally the shrines were set up a couple of days before November 1st (October 30th and 31st) and stayed on display until the 3rd of November. Offerings to the Dead (Shrines to the Dead)Įach family erects a shrine for their dead, usually in their home.

The ritual of the underworld god was appropriated and mixed in with the rituals for the deceased from the Catholic Church and evolved into what it is today. With the arrival of the European population, this ritual was transformed. This coincidence was used by evangelists during Colonial times to make religious appropriations of native rituals and synchronization between Christian and native beliefs. The offerings were dedicated to diverse gods and were set on different dates however the god of death Mictlantecuhtli, was celebrated in the month that is now known as November. The offerings for the Day of the Dead are placed in shines, which have pre-Hispanic origin. This complex ritual not only helped the souls to find eternal rest but also made the grieving process easier for family members. Family members continued the rituals every year for four years with ostentatious ceremonies at the spot where the remains of the body were kept. At that moment the soul abandoned the body and began its difficult journey. Then the body was symbolically fed with the most exquisite food on offer.Īfter four days the body was buried or cremated. After that, the body was shrouded along with some of the dead’s personal belongings. Once a person died, death was announced by the screaming and crying of older women of the community. In order for the souls to initiate their journey, family members were in charge of keeping company with them (at a distance) through rritual. They believed that gods decided the destiny of the souls, which had to encounter a number of obstacles to be able to reach everlasting rest.

At that time, many Mesoamerican ethnicities worshiped Death. The first day is for dead children and the second for dead adults.ĭía de los Muertos has its origin in pre-Hispanic times (before the European colonization). Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration commemorated on November 1st.

Dia de los muertos altar dates