Honoring Tradition: Celebrate Día de los Muertos in Rockford

The Aztec empire had been celebrating “Day of the Dead” long before Spanish conquistadors invaded and fused it with Catholicism to create the Día de Los Muertos we know today. The spiritual holiday was originally intended to celebrate the Lady of the Dead, Mictēcacihuātl, Queen of Mictlān(the underworld). She ruled the underworld, and watched over the bones of the dead, which the Aztecs believed were a source of life in the next world.

Dia De Los Muertos

Día de los Muertos is more about healing than it is about feeling bad. Celebrating Day of the Dead means facing the fact that death is real and that although our loved ones are no longer with us, we can remember them and happy that their spirits have returned to be with us during the holiday. The tradition is rooted in the native Mexican belief that life on earth is a preparation for the next world and that it is important you maintain a strong relationship with the dead. Families gather in the cemetery during this celebration to welcome the souls on their annual visit.

Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that the Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the 1500s. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like a family reunion— accept dead ancestors are the guests of honor.

• November 1:

Also known as Día de los Inocentes or Día de los Angelitos, this day is dedicated to children who have died.

• November 2:

Also known as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos, this is dedicated to adults who have died.

• October 31:

Some regions celebrate on this day.

• November 6:

Sone regions celebrate on this day. Ofrendas are usually built on October 30-31 and taken down on November 2.

Ofrenda

An ofrenda is an alter or an offering that is set up to honor deceased loved ones. The tradition origin pre-Colombian times and is a celebration of life and death.

Here are some things to know about ofrendas:

What to include

Ofrendas include the deceased’s favorite food and drinks, as well as personal items and photographs.

What they represent

Ofrendas are meant to represent the deceased’s presence and to remind people that life is eternal.

What they include

Ofrendas typically include the four elements: water, wind, earth, and fire. Water is left out for the spirits to drink, and paper picado, or traditional paper banners, represents the wind.

How they are set up

Ofrendas are often built on a table covered with a brightly colored tablecloth and decorated with china paper cut into patterns.

How are they arranged

Ofrendas often have multiple levels, with the higher levels representing heaven, the earth, and purgatory. The lower levels are where the offerings are placed.

How they vary by location

Each village in Mexico has its own unique traditions for their ofrendas.

Cempazuchitl flowers or marigolds, are considered Day of the Dead flowers. They have a very distinct smell, and when paired with the right candle, believers say the souls of the departed return for a brief period of time to enjoy the pleasures of life once more. Marigolds are believed to serve as the pathway to the mortal world, they are also believed to attract souls to the altar.

Calaveras are brightly colored skulls or skeletons that represent the departed and are meant to celebrate their lives. The word “calaveras” is Spanish for “skull”.

Noches