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The real story behind “Dia de Muertos”

Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2022. 10:19 am CST.

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: It is a popular tradition to celebrate the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) at the end of October, or the beginning of November.

The celebration is known as a Christian occasion but the colorful event is a far cry from the somber Sunday ceremonies that are commonly associated with traditional church services, History reports.

The celebration originated with the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating the dead.

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican (a region that covers central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica) culture from 1300 AD that lasted until 1521 AD.

Some historians say that the celebration stem from celebrating fearsome underworld gods, in particular the goddess Mictecacihuatl.

Mictecacihuatl was a baby when she was sacrificed to the gods, but she grew to adulthood in the land of Mictlan, the lowest part of the underworld. Here, she married Miclantecuhtl where the pair ruled, but it was Mictecacihuatl who was tasked with guarding the bones of the deceased.

She was celebrated and the dead were buried with food and gifts.

But, the Spanish arrived in 1519 and destroyed the Aztec civilisation and culture.

Today, the celebration includes an ofrenda (home altar) that usually incorporates Mexican Marigolds (cempasúchil) pictures of loved ones, colourfully painted skulls (calaveras), food (especially a bread called pan de muerto), salt, candles and, in general, items connected to the people being remembered.

As evidently depicted in the popular movie Coco, families move to the graveyard to clean and continue the celebrations with food, drinks and party.

 

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