Dia De Los Muertios Research Paper

From an outsider’s perspective, Dia de los Muertos is simply a colorful festival that celebrates those who have passed away. However, people who participate in this beloved holiday know that that is only the surface. Aside from the spiritual component, Dia de los Muertos is surrounded by images and figures of skulls that are called calaveras. The calavera is the central symbol of this holiday and is used to represent what is left on earth once we die and our soul ascends. Although a skull has negative connotations in most cultures, it is a symbol of hope and ironically, life to the people of Mexico. The popularity of the skull was due in part to Jose Guadalupe Posada; the father of the famous “la Catrina”. La Catrina is easily recognized …show more content…
113). Themes of immortality in many American films are present because the skull (namely death) is characterized as evil thus, death is to be feared. However, because calaveras exist, Mexican people are much more susceptible to accept death as a part of life and not the ending of it. Because “...grieving over the end of life reinforces the finality and leaves mourners without comfort…” (Menard, 2000, pg. 118), Dia de los Muertos was created to help alleviate the sadness commonly associated with the passing of loved ones. It is also taught that, “...in the circle of life...death plays a part and is not to be feared,” (Menard, 2000, pg. 110) and instead of being a taboo, it is a frequent thought in everyday life. Praying to ancestors is also a common reoccurence that exists through the creation of …show more content…
A traditional ofrenda has three tiers that represent the three forms of death, “...the death of the body, the burial, and being forgotten by those left behind.” (Vigil, 2000, pg. 16). Dia de los Muertos makes an effort to offset the dead being forgotten by the living by having the holiday celebrated every year. The latin phrase “Memento Mori” reminds, “...one of mortality and impending death,” (Nozedar, 2016, pg. 237) and perfectly encompasses a major theme in Dia de los Muertos. Displaying, “...calavera drawings, candy calaveras, calavera poems, and calavera toys…” (Tonatiuh, 2015, pg. 2) in the fall time is an uninterrupted reminder of the latin phrase. As this message is being passed down through generations, children soon become aware of death but are no longer afraid because their family celebrates it. Rather than being upset over a deceased relative, they can be happy about the family being together