“Just be in the community and be open to learning about something outside of your comfort zone. “The best way to learn about Day of the Dead is to go into the community and experience it first-hand. But, all people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds are welcome at Day of the Dead celebrations. Gonzalez said the film isn’t entirely accurate. Some people without Hispanic roots are newly enthusiastic about celebrating Day of the Dead since the Disney animated film, “Coco,” popularized the holiday. “Then the second day is a celebration for adults and everyone else.” 1 is dedicated to the children who have been lost,” Gonzalez said. 1 and 2, and traditionally spans over months. The holiday really could be called Days of the Dead or Días de Los Muertos because it’s actually celebrated over two days: Nov. “I’ve learned to reconnect with that part of my heritage.” “It wasn’t until we moved to Denver that I was exposed to Day of the Dead,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez is a fifth-generation Mexican American who grew up in Houston, but Day of the Dead celebrations have been lost in some Hispanic communities and families, while others never adopted the traditions. Gonzalez keeps an altar set up in her home all year long to remind herself to honor those who came before her. Our loved ones remain very much alive through our memories of them and the way we celebrate their lives.Īnd, people can treasure those memories any time of the year. Legend has it that ancestors come back to celebrate with the living during the early November holiday. That’s how we celebrate our dearly departed and keep their memory close.” During Day of the Dead celebrations, some people dress in skeleton costumes. “People have feasts and enjoy meals together and tell stories and remember their loved ones. “We’re honoring and remembering our ancestors,” Gonzalez said. Or, you can buy colorful, decorated sugar skulls. In Colorado, you can visit traditional bakeries, like Rosales Mexican Bakery in Denver, where you can taste pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, a sweet and savory concoction. In Mexico, for instance, people celebrate Day of the Dead by decorating their loved ones’ graves with bright orange marigolds, which are believed to light the way for ancestors to return. Those perceptions are incomplete at best.ĭay of the Dead is a lively, joyous occasion, marked by intricate altars in homes, dancing, parades in cities and celebrations at some graveyards. Some people conflate Day of the Dead with Halloween or think it’s a scary holiday. We invite our ancestors back into our homes to enjoy offerings that we set out on altars.” A young woman wears an elaborate costume with a skeleton face to celebrate Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos in Denver. “The relationships that Mexicans, Chicanos or Latinos have with the dead are very different,” Gonzalez said. Unique traditions have emerged in Mexico, Guatemala and among Mexican-Americans in U.S. How to celebrate Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertosĭay of the Dead or Día de los Muertos celebrations have roots both in indigenous Aztec and Mayan cultures and Catholicism. Ofrendas are offerings placed on lovingly-designed altars, which include photos of loved ones, candles, flags and ancestors’ favorite foods. The art center’s seasonal celebration is called Ofrendas. Gonzalez also is making a documentary about the history of Day of the Dead celebrations in Colorado. “It’s a celebration of life,” said Victoria Gonzalez, marketing and digital manager for Denver’s Latino and Cultural Arts Center.Įvery fall, leaders at the Latino and Cultural Arts Center meld ancient and contemporary traditions to celebrate Day of the Dead. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon.ĭespite its name, Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos isn’t about loss or sadness. Parades will often include indigenous dancers. Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos has roots in Aztec and Mayan cultures.
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