Exploring El Dia de los Muertos and Folklore
CELEBRATING LIFE AND DEATH IN EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
BY: EDUARDO GOMEZ
Abstract
On this website, the focus will be on the folklore genres that derive from one consequential date: November 1st, El Dia de los Muertos. El Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican and ancient tradition, that dates back centuries. El Dia de los Muertos is a tradition that takes place at the end of the year, in November. This website will navigate the viewer through the beginnings and eventual transformation of this festive, nostalgic, and transformative day to what the celebration is today, in Mexico and the U.S. This folklore project delves into the legacy of the Mesoamerican heritage, history, and the region’s bond to El Dia de Los Muertos; a celebration that raises the spirits of the dead with the deeds of from living (Haley et al., 2014). The folklore genres of narrative, material, and beliefs from Mexico, will be analyzed and portrayed through the lens of this momentous day. El Dia de Los Muertos is not only a moment to remember, but a day in which the living form a bridge between the afterlife and the reality of mourning and grief, for the people that have lost someone they love.
History and Origin of Dia de los Muertos in Mexico
The Dia de los Muertos dates back thousands of years. In pre-columbian times, the regions that celebrated this day were in Mesoamerica, which included the Zapotec civilization, for example. The Zapotec are a pre columbian civilization that called the Southern Oaxaca valley, Mexico their home. The other dominant civilization in Mexico, the Aztec civilization, also found ways to connect the journey of life with native animals, such as the hummingbird. The hummingbird, represents a symbol of life and the afterlife for the Aztec: The hummingbird was referred to as the messenger of the gods. In Mesoamerica, pre-columbian beliefs and rituals centered around the separation between life and the afterlife. On El Dia de los Muertos, the separation ceases to exists, thus bringing both worlds together. In Oaxaca, Mexico, this ritual and other similar celebrations for the dead, date back to 1000 years (Haley et al., 2014). The celebrations of El Dia de los Muertos are held on the first two days of November. These dates correlate with the All Souls Days and All Saints Day, which derive from Catholicism. In many parts of Mexico, the complex and complicated post-colonial Spanish influence, has in many ways, merged with the native tradition of El Dia de los Muertos celebration; a celebration of death, life, and for some, a moment of faith.
Key Folklore Genres Within El Dia de los Muertos
Material Folklore:
Material folklore is defined as a genre that derives from different material forms, some of them being permanent and other temporary (Sims, 2011). Material folklore is tangible; it can be touched, seen, eaten, and even lived in. One of the most important folklore genres that is intertwined with Dia de los Muertos, is material folklore. In El Dia de los Muertos, families visit their loved ones at the cemetery or grave, and bring (ofrendas) offerings. Marigolds (Flor de Muerto) zempoalxochitl, in Nahuatl, are brought to the grave, which are believed to attract the dead to their offerings.
The offerings on this day, represent the material folklore. In El Dia Muertos, the offerings consist of a dead loved one's favorite dish, drink, personal item, and in some cases, live mariachi music to perform their favorite songs (Medrano, 2018). Offerings are also placed in the family home, along with an altar. The altar is decorated with sugar skulls, bread, pictures, and marigolds. The altar serves as a welcome gesture for the loved ones that will return on the night of El Dia de los Muertos.
Customary lore:
In El Dia de lo Muertos, there are various genres of folklore that overlap. Two of the genres that intertwine during this event are customary lore and verbal folklore. Customary lore is defined as a habitual action; a way of doing things within a specific group (Sims, 2011). Customary lore may also refer to repeated behaviors, words, and gestures, that are only known within a small community or group. These behaviors are also a a symbol of belonging. Understanding gestures and expressing vocally with words only known to the group, provides a sense of belonging within a group.
On November 1st, the doors are opened in towns across Oaxaca. This practice, on this specific day, is an important act of welcoming the living to pay respects to the dead. This behavior is represented by local people bringing ofrendas to a home's altar and remembering the people that are no longer here (Haley et al., 2014). The local community from Oaxaca, in this case, are aware that they belong in the community, because they know and understanding these rituals and traditions. On November 2nd, the panteon (cemetery) is a festive place; a place with vendors, food, music, and thousands of flowers, specially marigolds. The material folklore is just as important as the vocal folklore; both genres come together to compliment one another. Whether that is through nostalgic music or other cantos (songs) and the offerings brought to the tombs, the spirit of the dead comes back to earth during these two days, to say hello and feel loved once again. These days are marked in the Mexican calendar as El Dia de lo Muertos.
El Dia de los Muertos In Modern Day
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El Dia de los Muertos is perhaps one of the most important dates in the calendar for Mexicans. However, there has been been a modern shift and adaptations of El Dia de los Muertos, not only in Mexico, but in the United States. Since the 1970's, El Dia de los Muertos has grown exponentially, across cities, states, and in the U.S. media (Marchi, 2018). In the 1970's, Chicano educators traveled to Southern Mexico, as an attempt to learn more about Mexican culture, with an emphasis on El Dia de los Muertos. The components of this celebration, such as altars, sugar skulls, and marigolds, were brought to the U.S., as part of this cultural exchange. Thereafter, the components, traditions, and behaviors of this day, began to appear in museum galleries and schools. This introduction to El Dia de los Muertos paved the way towards a mainstream acceptance and celebration of this important day. It should be noted, that not only Mexico celebrates a version of El Dia de los Muertos, but so do people in Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, and El Salvador, for example.
It can be argued, that El Dia de los Muertos is now more popular than ever before; films, clothing companies, and the corporate world do not want to miss out on the opportunity. However, the debate continues on how to proceed with the expansion of such an important day for the Mexican and Latin American culture, but at the same time to allow drastic changes or external actors to dictate the meaning, and what it represents to those that have celebrated this day for centuries.
Bibliography
Haley, S. D., & Fukuda, C. (2014). The Day of the Dead : when two worlds meet in Oaxaca. Berghahn Books.
Medrano, M. (2018). Dia de los Muertos: Two Days in November. Journal of South Texas, 31(2), 189–192.
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Marchi, R. (2018). Day of the Dead in Latin America and the United States. Berkleycenter.georgetown.edu. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/day-of-the-dead-in-latin-america-and-the-united-states
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Sims, M. C., & Stephens, M. (2011). Living folklore : an introduction to the study of people and their traditions. Utah State University Press.