Dias De Los Muertos / the Days of the Dead
When I became a Wiccan in my 20's and started celebrating Samhain, which also falls on October 31st, the day took on a more spiritual aspect as a time to pay respect to loved ones who have died.
Then I moved to Tucson and discovered Dias de los Muertos, The Days of the Dead, a celebration that combined the scary, raucous elements of Halloween with the spiritual aspects of respecting and honoring the dead.
Dias de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday, although versions of it are observed in other Latin countries. It is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, the Catholic observances of All Saints and All Souls Days.
On those days families gather to clean and decorate the gravesites of loved ones with orange and yellow flowers (traditionally marigolds or chrysanthemums). They will often bring picnics and spend the entire day and sometime the night eating, drinking, singing and reminiscing about the departed. Offerings of favorite foods and tequila are thoughtfully provided for the deceased.
In homes, altars (ofrenda's) are set up with pictures and mementos of the dead. They are decorated with sugar skulls, flowers, food and drink offerings, and votive candles. Pan de muerto, or dead man's bread, a sweet bread decorated with strips of dough shaped like bones, is traditionally served with chocolate on the morning of November 2nd.
In Tucson, Dias de los Muertos almost overshadows Halloween. Altars are set up in public spaces, amusing artwork featuring skeletons doing everyday things are sold and collected, and sugar skulls, pan de muerto and decorative votive candles are sold in the Hispanic grocery stores. The biggest event of the holiday is The All Souls Procession, a parade of costumed groups, floats, performers, and pyrotechnics that winds though downtown and attracts thousands of people. The procession is culminated with the burning of a large urn filled with wishes and offerings to loved ones who have died. ( Check it out at http://www.allsoulsprocession.org/)
At our house, we combine Halloween, Samhain and Dias de los Muertos into one big holiday. We decorate the outside of the house for Halloween and dress up in costume to scare the neighborhood kids when we pass out candy. I set up an alter with pictures of departed family, friends, and pets and decorate it with pumpkins, pomegranates, candy , nuts , sugar skulls, flowers, and lots of votive candles. I burn a candle in the window and leave a plate of food outside for the souls of the dead. It is both a festive and reflective occasion.
If you want to add a little Dias de los Muertos to you Halloween celebration, here is a recipe for pan de muerto from Frida's Fiestas, Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo, by Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle.
Dead Man's Bread
7 ½ cups /1k flour, sifted
2 cups/400g sugar, plus additional for dusting.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons /250g vegetable shortening or butter
2 packages active dry yeast dissolved in 5 tablespoons warm milk
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon lard
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup/125ml milk
Mound the flour on the countertop or in a bowl and make a well in the center. Place the sugar, shortening, yeast, eggs, lard, cinnamon, vanilla and milk into the well. Work into the dough and knead until the dough pulls away from the counter. If the dough is too soft, knead in more flour. Shape into a ball, grease and flour it lightly, and place in a greased bowl. Let stand in a warm place for 2 1/2 hours, or until doubled. Cover with a towel and refrigerate overnight.
Shape the dough into balls the size of a peach. Decorate the tops with strips of dough to look like bones. Place rolls on greased baking sheet and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until double in bulk.
Dust with sugar and bake in a preheated 350 degree / 175 C oven for 30 minutes, or until the bottoms sound hallow when tapped.
Published by Dragon Lady
Born again pagan with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a wicked sence of humor. Loves good food, good wine and stimulating conversation. View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentThank you for another wonderful article. I love the idea of combining the three holidays, especially the more spiritual aspect (Halloween in particular has become so commercial) and I enjoyed learning more about the Dias de los Muertos. Honoring our ancestors is such an important cultural tradition, and in so honoring them, we honor ourselves.
I teach a lesson about the Day of the Dead to 5th graders, focusing on the art of the celebration but also the difference in how the culture views and responds to death. Very interesting!
Wow, you have given just enough information to make me want to delve a little deeper into the Samhain and Dias de los Muertos aspect. Halloween is my favorite holiday and the thought of making it more spiritual and honoring the dead is something right up my alley. Thanks for another great recipe, too!
Interesting article. I didn't know a lot about this. Im Buddhist (kinda have to be as I live in Thailand :), but some of the things you describe are very similar to Buddhist traditions.
excellent piece and very informative
I found this to be a thoughtful article that illustrates how similiar "different" customs can be. Understanding customs and beliefs can lead to tolerance and acceptance amoung people sharing our earth. The recipes at the end are a bonus!