Dia de los Muertos: A spiritual celebration for the departed
This Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) altar is filled with offering for the dead. The celebration has a strong indigenous and Catholic influence. (Photo Eduardo Stanley)
For the last 20 years, Rosa Hernandez, a Oaxacan simple woman living in Madera, Calif., has prepared an altar for her dead loved ones.
“Every year, I’ll prepare my altar. Its going to be very simple,” says Hernandez. “You can’t miss this date.”
The altar is set for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, which celebrates on November 2 family members and friends who have died. November 1, is also Day of the Dead but it is in honor of the young ones who died.
In Latin American countries, this tradition comes from two main sources: the indigenous and the Catholic. In Mexico, the tradition of celebrating Dia de los Muertos has a strong indigenous roots. Apparently, during the “conquista” the Catholic Church played a fundamental role in conquering the spirits of the native inhabitants of the region. Among the ways to do so, the church overlaid images and traditions over those native people, as well as built churches on top of pyramids and other sacred places.
In many ways, this process resulted in the hybrid religious expression we see today.
“When I was in Oaxaca, my family used to go to the cemetery where our loved ones rest… Early, very early, around two or three in the morning,” recalls Hernandez. “There you share with those who departed from this life, normally you stay up until the candle is almost consumed.”
The tradition behind Dia de los Muertos
An altar for Day of the Dead holds many of the favorite foods of passed loved ones. (Photo Eduardo Stanley)
According to the indigenous tradition, Dia de los Muertos is a day in which the spirits of the loved ones who died visit us. And you have to create the proper environment to receive them, so they feel welcomed. One way to do so is creating an altar, with photos of the departed, and other elements like food and memories of the dead ones.
The spirituality does the rest. You feel them, you converse with them. They see you and later on in the day, they go away, until next year.
“When I would be dead, I know I’ll visit my children, and they’ll prepare an altar to receive me,” says Hernandez. “Besides, I want my children to keep this tradition, its a tradition of our ancestors, its not a scary day. It is a day of joy!”
Hernandez explains that since she came to the United States, some members of her family have passed away, which makes more sense to her to celebrate the Dia de los Muertos. Nevertheless, she feels at the same time a connection with her family of Oaxaca because they are taking part in the same celebration.
In the last two decades, the agricultural labor force in the southwestern U.S. switched from Mexican farm workers to those of indigenous origins. Thousands of immigrants from the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero —many of them speaking only their native tongues— are now part of an already diverse society.
The indigenous culture has a strong presence in some rural communities like in California’s Central Valley. Many families there are preparing their altars at home. While in some cases it is becoming a cult or well elaborated altars are decorating museums,, Dia de los Muertos is a private celebration, a spiritual encounter.
“I start preparing the altar ahead of time,” says Hernandez, who is of Mixtec indigenous origin. “I buy the fruits, the Pan de Muerto [bread of the dead], the sodas. Some stuff is difficult to find, like some fruits or the sugar skulls, but I do my best.”
A Oaxacan altar can’t miss the “mole” —a traditional sauce made from peanuts, chocolate and chiles, marigolds or flor de cempazuchitil— and other favorite dishes of loved ones that are honored that day liked when they were alive.
“It’s a special day, I know they’ll visit me and I want to be sure they like what I can offer them,” says an emotional Hernandez.
