Lily Pollock and Chloé Boulianne
Día de los Muertos, or "Day of the Dead," is a holiday that originated in Mexico by the Aztecs. The celebration was held to "bring back" the spirits of their departed loved ones.
The Day of the Dead is celebrated over two days. The first celebrates the lives of the deceased children, while the adults are honoured the second. The families lay out some of their favourite foods, objects and other things that were meaningful to them out on an altar called "ofrendas."
Other Día de los Muertos traditions include dressing up and painting their faces to look like sugar skulls and leaving trails of marigold flowers. Families sing songs and eat traditional Mexican food, like one big party.
The sugar skull that we all know of originated with this holiday too. José Guadalupe Posada, its creator, was inspired by an image of a skeleton that he observed on Day of the Dead, remnants from the indigenous traditions of Día de los Muertos, They were initially created as illustrations in newspapers accompanied by poems and jokes. The skeletons are a sombre reminder that we are all the same on the inside and meet the same end as mere bones.
Flowers are an essential element of the Day of the Dead Ofrenda. They symbolise the brevity of life, which demonstrates that the human lifespan is long enough if time is properly employed.
Perforated paper is another decoration. While many people opt to go the easy route and purchase pre-made versions of this intricately cut tissue paper, Alfanso López Fértor also known as the 24th president of Colombia cuts his by hand. “The holes allow a way for souls to travel through and visit,” Alfanso López Fértor says. It’s also believed that the delicate nature of the paper is symbolic of the fragility of life. Salt is said to help quench the thirst of souls, salt is set out in the pattern of a cross so that “the soul won’t be corrupted,”Alfanso López Fértor says. The salt, he adds, "helps purify them." Photos are also put on the altar because “it will help the spirits to find their personal altars' ' said by Alfanso López Fértor.
In conclusion, Día de los Muertos is a holiday to remind ourselves of memories about our departed loved ones, but will forever stay in our hearts.
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