Many people worldwide are familiar with sugar skulls, which are another of the most recognized Day of the Dead symbols. Collection of traditional Day of The Dead symbols - skeletons dressed in folk Mexican costumes playing guitar, maracas or dancing, calaveras or skulls, cross and candles. The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebration takes place annually on the first and second days of November. You might recognize pumpkins, black cats, candy corn, and witches as symbols of an American holiday known as Halloween. Día de los Muertos is a colorful celebration to honor death and those who have passed, but when people ask me to explain the history behind this date, what exactly it entails, and why we remember the dead for a day or two (Nov. 1 and 2) or even an entire week, it gets tricky. Nisperos (or loquats) are a fruit that originated in Asia but have become popular in Mexico and are in season right around Day of the Dead. This technique has its’ roots to the pre-Columbian era when the Aztecs using tree bark were making flags and sings with codes and symbols to adorn religious sites. It’s common for families to light candles at the ofrenda, often arranging them to form a cross. That said, people also commonly add incense to them, resulting in a noticeable scent. - Buy this stock vector and explore similar vectors at Adobe Stock 10. This Day of the Dead event is actually a set of traditions and symbols that can be slightly different depending on the area in Mexico. Day of the Dead Flower (Marigold) The Day of Dead wouldn't be nearly as evocative if it weren’t for the proliferated adornment that blossoming flowers like Cempasuchitl provide to altars and to private and public spaces such as stores, governmental buildings and parks. Rather than representing the concept of light, the color orange is symbolic of the sun. The “Day of the Dead” might seem similar to Halloween in many ways, but it’s a very different type of holiday with its own symbology, rituals, and traditions. Learn about the honoring items and objects of the festivity that celebrates the Dead and find out what they mean. Unlike acknowledgments of death in many other cultures, Día de los Muertos is unique in its festive and uplifting spirit. Celebrants often bring white flowers to the altar or use white paper banners and other decorations. Linked In. The GYST.com website is no longer available for use. Arch. It is celebrated generally between Halloween, Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, and coincides with the Catholic holy days of All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). To represent wind, the family traditionally brings papel picado, a type of traditional paper banner, to the ofrenda. While, other characteristic non-alcoholic beverages are the atole, the champurrado and the hibiscus “Jamaican” tea. Among other, there are specific items related to the deceased persons, decorating objects with direct implications to the incident of death as well as food and pastries fill up the list of the main symbols and elements of the Day of the Dead. Pink also celebrates the belief that family members will one day reunite with their departed loved ones. Calaveras (skulls) are probably the most recognizable emblems of the Day of the Dead. Today, largely influenced by Catholic traditions, the celebrations and customs vary between countries, and while Dias de los Muertos is mostly associated with Mexico, it should be noted that not everywhere in Mexico celebrates it. On November 1st and 2nd, the dead are given the chance to reconnect with the living. Day of the Dead toys, made of pottery and paper, from Oaxaca, Mexico, c. 1960. For the element of water, family members leave a pitcher of water at the ofrenda so the spirits can quench their thirst. Friends and family members accompany their festive meals with alcohol and in some areas they drink at the cemeteries for the whole night. Monarch butterflies are a common Day of the Dead symbol, and you’ll often spot decorative butterflies taking center stage on many altars. As a counterpoint to the color pink, purple represents pain, grief, and suffering. It represents the body that each person loses before starting the trip to the underworld and it is a common item placed on the altars. Flowers play a central role at most Día de los Muertos celebrations. The Aztecs were not ones to fear death and consequently inherited by the Mexican people. 2. Day of the Dead altars, also known as ofrendas (offerings), are constructed and adorned to remember, honor and please the dead, are a central symbol of the Dia de los Muertos. The color red signifies the blood of life. that are specific to their color or variety. Thousands of people join parades and public events dressed in skeleton costumes and wearing skull masks. Discover what you'll need to consider when planning, or attending, ... “Day Of The Dead, Decoded: A Joyful Celebration Of Life And Food.”, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/01/163549325/day-of-the-dead-decoded-a-joyful-celebration-of-life-and-food. While Halloween has its roots deeply seated in England, Dia de Los Muertos is a purely Mexican holiday that entwines Aztec beliefs with Mexican culture. Discover the best online memorial sites for remembering a loved one... Facebook. It is a symbol or preservation and purification and some salt in cross form is believed that protects the spirit. The Mexican perspective of death is said to stem from the Aztecs and has become a point of national pride for Mexican people (Marchi 24). They believe incense helps to facilitate communication between the world of the living and the world of the dead. There isn't one definition or way of observing Day of the Dead; it all depends on where you're from (what state in Mexico or even country), but I can say that some symb… In some regions people are used to place a mirror in the room of the altar. A few select colors, listed below, represent key aspects of the holiday. Sometimes the term “La Calaca” is used to signify death personified. The most prominent figure among the disguises is La Calavera Catrina “the elegant skull”. Families often light purple candles in their homes or at altars during Day of the Dead celebrations to acknowledge their feelings of loss. The Food is a basic element of the Day of the Dead. The photos included are decorated graves, pan de muertos, sugar skulls, chocolate skulls, cemetery celebration, marigolds, parade, costumes, papel picado, and ofrendas. Food traditionally represents the element of earth. The color black is a pre-Columbian symbol that references the Kingdom of the Dead, Mictlan. Black symbolizes death at modern Día de los Muertos celebrations, but it can also be used to accentuate and highlight brighter colors. Day of the Dead is really a celebration less for the dead, but more for the living. We have a huge range of Illustrations products available. The color white represents the sky, hope, purity, and innocence. The most prominent symbols related to Day of the Dead are calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (sugar skulls). The symbols below are all associated with the holiday known as Day of the Dead as it’s celebrated today. It's totally free to use. Day of the Dead is not the “Mexican Halloween” like it is sometimes mistaken to be because of the timin… Day of the Dead altars clearly look attractive and impressive. While it might sound morbid, this is in fact a happy celebration for participants. The holiday originated in ancient Mexico and northern Central America, amongst indigenous groups like the Aztec, Maya, and Toltec. When the Spanish arrived to the area, the rituals associated with the Day of the Dead became intermingled with new traditions. As remnants of the body person who leaves the material world they represent the spirit that is anticipated to return during the celebration. Stay safe while still coming together to support one another and honor your loved one. On the top of each bread, on the top of the bun someone can find dough stripes representing bones or even small dough skulls. Pink represents the joyous qualities of the Day of the Dead celebration. These are the colors that you’ll see decorating Day of the Dead festivities and altars most often. They symbolize and memorialize the souls of the deceased and according to the common belief they help practically the spirits of the dead to find their way to their homes. The devoutness and the spectacular folklore are also fundamental parts of the festival, while they derive from a series of elements that characterize the followed rituals. The ofrenda is the central component of any Day of the Dead celebration, and it’s one of the holiday’s most recognized symbols. and All Soul’s Day lent even more symbology and tradition to the date. The celebrations of the Day of the Dead include a wide spectrum of religious, historical and spiritual aspects which are identical parts of the Mexican culture. Every ofrenda contains gifts to represent the four elements: water, wind, earth, and fire: As mentioned above, paper banners known as papel picado can be seen at any Día de los Muertos celebration. The Day of the Dead is a time for celebrants to remember departed loved ones with positivity and festivity. Spanish conquerors faced difficulty in convincing native peoples to give up their rituals honoring death goddess Mictecihuatl. Some symbols like skeletons, sugar skulls, altars, and the colorful cut-paper streamers can be seen in all parts of Mexico at this time. The day of the dead celebrations ends on the 2 nd of November making it a 3day festival. GYST was acquired by Cake in 2019. For Christian celebrants, the color red might represent the spilled blood of Jesus Christ. Skulls and skeletons: Skulls have been part of the festivities since the holiday’s pre-Columbian days. La Catrina from Posada. The visiting spirits enjoy the essence of the food, while the living consume it physically on the family dinner. The extensive flower decorations is another characteristic of the celebration of the day of the dead. “5 Facts About Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead).”, insider.si.edu/2016/10/5-facts-dia-de-los-muertos-day-dead/, Farfan, Karen Castillo. : a Joyful celebration of the Dead is La calavera catrina “ the elegant skull ” in skeleton costumes wearing... A mirror in the form of Pan de Muerto is a symbol or preservation and purification and salt! 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