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Five anecdotes that you probably did not know about the Day of the Dead in Mexico

2022-10-29T10:10:34.496Z


“El Día de los Muertos”, which takes place this November 2, is a staple of Mexican culture. Parades, nocturnal vigils, colorful disguises... What you need to know about this tradition with the air of a great popular festival.


In Mexico, the day of the dead is far from resembling what we know in the rest of the world.

No sadness in mourning, nor silence in contemplation.

Quite the contrary!

During the Festival of the Dead (“

El Día de los muertos

”), the country comes alive with a festive and colorful atmosphere worthy of a carnival.

Classified since 2003 by Unesco as oral and intangible heritage of humanity, this tradition was notably popularized in 2017 by the animated film

Coco

, from Disney and Pixar studios.

To discover

  • Partner stay in Mexico |

    12 days |

    Mexico City, the Oaxaca Valley and Guanajuato

Read the fileMexico: the Figaro travel guide

The origins

"

The Day of the Dead results from a mixture of pre-Hispanic religious rites, Christian festivals brought by the Spaniards and, more recently, the American influence of Halloween

", summarizes Élise Le Monier, co-founder of Mexikoo, an ecotourism travel agency. based in Mexico City.

In pre-Columbian times, death was seen as the beginning of the journey to

Mictlán

(the afterlife).

She was feared by the Spaniards and Europeans, unlike the indigenous Mesoamerican populations (Aztecs, Mayas, etc.) who laughed at her and saw in death the beginning of a new life.

Read alsoWhen to go to Mexico?

Seasons, festivities… The best time, region by region

The tradition

A woman places fruit on an altar as an offering (here in the village of Santa Fe de la Laguna, Mexico).

ENRIQUE CASTRO / AFP

The Day of the Dead takes place on November 2, but the festivities actually last longer.

The night of October 31 to November 1 is dedicated to deceased children, while the day of November 2 is dedicated to adults.

On this occasion, Mexicans clean the graves and set up altars in their homes on which they place abundant offerings: sugar skulls (

calaveras

), breads for the dead (brioche with orange blossom), tequila , dishes and objects appreciated by the deceased... There is also a profusion of cempasúchil flowers (also called “flowers of the dead”) of yellow or orange color, all enhanced by candles and incense.

Families usually organize a picnic around the grave of their loved one, singing and dancing.

Read alsoHalloween: Brocéliande, Gévaudan... Five mysterious places to shudder in France

The character

In the form of a figurine or painted on the faces, the Catrina is an essential figure of the Day of the Dead in Mexico.

Amelia - stock.adobe.com

In the streets, make-up stands are busy.

Mexicans have their faces painted with skulls (calavera) or take on the features of

Catrina

, a character imagined by the painter and illustrator Guadalupe Posada initially as a caricature of the wealthy social classes.

La Catrina indeed looks like an old lady of high society, dressed in an elegant colorful dress and a large hat symbolizing opulence and pretense.

This character became a symbol of death when the muralist Diego Riviera depicted her as a skeleton in his fresco

Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central

(“Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda Centra ").

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Places

On the outskirts of Mexico City, the village of Mixquic by candlelight and perfumed with the scent of incense.

ANGEL OF JESUS ​​- stock.adobe.com

If the Day of the Dead is celebrated everywhere in Mexico, it is not in the same way depending on the region.

That of

Oaxaca

, Mexican capital of gastronomy and mecca of craftsmanship, is undoubtedly the most attached to tradition.

In the Yucatán region, the villagers of

Pomuch

perpetuate an ancestral ritual by meticulously washing the bones of their deceased, a sign of purification before they join the other world.

Another place to enjoy the festivities: the capital

Mexico City

, where parades have been organized since 2016. “

The parade is not part of the tradition.

It was after the success of the James Bond film

Spectre

, whose opening scene takes place in Mexico City during a procession, that the municipality decided to reproduce a similar event every year

,” explains Élise Le Monier.

The capital is also an ideal starting point to access traditional villages on the outskirts, such as

Mixquic

, which inspired one of the villages in the animated film

Coco

, or

Xochimilco

, where a spectacular night vigil is held.

During the Day of the Dead, many Mexicans travel across the country to join their families.

Public transport is therefore very busy and hotels are quickly full.

An advice ?

"

To benefit from the widest possible choice of accommodation, it is best to book them a year in advance, so now for a trip scheduled for October-November 2023

", recommends Élise Le Monier.

Read alsoFar from Mexico City, three refuges to recharge your batteries in the sun

ON VIDEO - Mexicans celebrate Day of the Dead

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-10-29

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