Cultural Background

Photo by: Ken Dobb

The tradition of celebrating the Day of the Dead goes back to pre-colonial times. The Mexicas, the inhabitants of what is currently known as Mexico, believed that the path of the energies emanated by the dead were determined by the type of death they had suffered and not by their behaviour while alive.

The present celebration of the dead stems from indigenous and Spanish syncretism.  It is a reflection of the unique role of ceremonies in the life of the indigenous peoples due to its relationship with their ideology, worldview, religion, art and agriculture.  It incorporates the foundation of Mesoamerican thought as well as that of colonial evangelization while including current themes and dynamic processes of modern time.

In this tradition, rituals are carried out in homes and at cemeteries from October 31st to November 2nd.  Altars and offerings are set up so as to "receive" the souls of our relatives and loved ones who died.

The tradition of the Day of the Dead, named in 2003 by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a symbol of our veneration of death and the fascination that the unknown provokes in us.  It is, at the same time, a reminder of life and our need to keep the bonds with others, living and dead, that seem impossible to maintain.  Rituals are an important part of our culture and it is important to keep them alive in our collective memory.

Translated from www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/especiales/5333-celebra-el-dia-de-muertos-en-museos-del-inah

  Photos by: Ken Dobb