About the Day of the Dead

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DAY OF THE DEAD (Día de Muertos) has been an important celebration in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times. The Mexica [meˈxika] (Aztecs) memorialized their dead for two months in the summer: Miccailhuitontli (for children) and Hueymicailhuitl (for adults). Spaniards introduced the Catholic calendar and moved the practice of honoring the dead to All Souls Day, celebrated on November 2nd.

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The tradition is rooted in the native Mexican belief that life on earth is a preparation for the next world and of the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the dead. During this celebration, families gather in the cemetery to welcome the souls on their annual visit home. People prepare altars with traditional ephemeral elements for the season, such as cempasúchil (marigold) flowers, copal incense, fresh pan de muerto bread, candles, papel picado, and calaveras (sugar skulls). Photographs, mementos, and favorite items used by the departed are included.

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The Mexica believed that when a person died, their teyolia, or inner force, went to one of several afterworlds, depending on how they died, their social position, and their profession (not by their conduct in life). There were special afterworlds for children, warriors, and women in labor, people who died by drowning, and all others. This practice still endures today, with special altars built for people who have died in accidental deaths, for deceased children, and for adults who have died a natural death. The Mexican diaspora has taken this tradition to celebrate it across borders. Mano a Mano continues this tradition by highlighting important contemporary themes and popular public figures.

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The name of the holiday is Día de Muertos

In Mexico, the celebration is traditionally called Día de Muertos. However, in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries, it is often referred to as Día de los Muertos, which is a back-translation of the Day of the Dead into Spanish. We use the original name of the holiday.