Day of the Dead

●

It’s a mixture of traditions from Catholicism and indigenous
Aztec religions.*

●

It’s also a cultural holiday; not just religious.

●

Its purpose is to remember and celebrate the lives of your
ancestors.

*YOU DON’T HAVE TO WRITE THIS: Many critics have done research into the
origins of this holiday, and some believe that it’s actually an appropriation of
European traditions, that the Mexican government lied about its roots being in
aztec culture, as a political attempt towards nationalism and independence from
the Catholic church.

What’s the difference between a religious holiday and a
cultural holiday?

Religious

-People celebrate the
holiday because of their
belief in a religion

-Some aspects are
symbolic of a religious
figure

-Worship generally happens

Cultural

-People celebrate the
holiday to share an
experience with loved ones

-Symbolism is not
dedicated to religious
figures

-No worship

Calaveras (sugar skulls)

●Can be made from sugar OR clay

●Decorated with flower designs

●Symbolize the fact that death isn’t scary because it doesn’t have the power to
separate us from loved ones

Marigolds

●A flower that leads spirits to the ofrenda using its color and smell

●The orange color represents life

Las Velas (candles)

●Lit to represent the lost loved one

●Also symbolize life (orange color)

Catrín and Catrina

●A well-dressed man and woman

●Represent the fact that you can’t take your riches with you into the afterlife

●Also meant to represent the fact that death isn’t scary

Calaca face paint

●Meant to honor a specific loved one

●Welcomes the spirit so that the spirit doesn’t feel “underdressed”

Pan de muerto (bread of the dead)

●Sometimes it’s an offering for the spirit, and sometimes it’s for the people who
visit the ofrenda

●Sometimes has designs of bones on it, and sometimes has sugar or sesame
seeds sprinkled on it

Papel Picado

●Literally called “pecked paper”

●Tissue paper with designs in it and used as a banner decoration

●Creates a positive atmosphere of celebration

●Has depictions of life,
death, and the afterlife

Ofrenda

●An altar or table, decorated to honor a loved one

●Has any or all of these traditions on it

●Also usually has pictures of the lost loved one, and some things that they
owned or enjoyed when they were alive

●Can be located in a house, in a church,
or in a cemetery

Mariachi

●Refers to a genre of music

●ALSO refers to a band who
plays that type of music

●ALSO, ALSO refers to a
person in that band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0h3JAY0_Mo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZG-BM3AoI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lAJZuBeiXQ

…..THEREFORE…….

This is a mariachi
playing mariachi
in a mariachi