Dio de Muertos is a Mexican holiday that honors those who have passed. Families celebrate the lives of the dead, and pray for them, to help them on their spiritual journey. It is a tradition that dates back to the Aztec, and their celebration and ritual regarding the Lady of the Dead.
On October 31, All Hallows Eve, the children make a children’s altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit. November 1 is All Saints Day, and the adult spirits will come to visit. November 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives. The three-day fiesta filled with marigolds, the flowers of the dead; muertos (the bread of the dead); sugar skulls; cardboard skeletons; tissue paper decorations; fruit and nuts; incense, and other traditional foods and decorations. -Frances Ann Day, Latina and Latino Voices in Literature.
I thought Cozumel might have a big celebration during the 3 days, but though there were examples on the plaza, there wasn’t a fiesta or party. Going to the cemetery seemed like an intrusion, so I did not go there and cannot tell you what happened there.
Enjoy the photos of The Day of the Dead! I think it is a fascinating tradition…I love the skulls and imagery of skeletons!
