![]() ![]() The “spiritual” domination was done through the process of evangelism, which results in the syncretic culture of today’s Mexico. It is then that their Christianity worldview collides with the Meso-American one, and so, them being the “conquerors” of the territory, became the conquerors of the spiritual life of the natives as well. They became witnesses of the religiosity and rituals of the indigenous peoples of the time. The interpretation given to all the elements found in the offerings is that each one of them had a purpose, from a mask or a figurine representing a deity to the elements like food being simply an expression of life.Īll of the above was what the Spaniards found when they arrived and “conquered” the existing pre-hispanic cultures. C that is proof of the cult for the death: “Funeral offerings” that included many elements like water, food, masks, skeletons, jewelry, vases, figurines, shells, etc. There are traces that date back to 1200 b. These destinations have never had anything to do with the Christian “hell” either.įor the ancient cultures, the journey to these destinations was a magical one, and so, the living would perform rituals that involved elements that assisted the dead in their path. In these destinations, the dead were guests of their Gods and guardians, and morality or worldly behavior had nothing to do with them being welcomed or not. Everything could be created or destroyed but there was always something in motion, and they saw it as a vital force.Īccording to many interpretations, the religiosity of the prehispanic Mexico was perfectly attached to the concept of life and death as a permanent cycle, and so, within their rituals, both represented happiness and so, both should be constantly honored and celebrated.įor the pre-hispanic cultures, death was a destination, and so, names were given to the places where the dead would go, like “Mictlán” in the Nahuatl culture and “Xibalbá” in the Mayan Culture, to mention some. ![]() The prehispanic history that precedes today’s “Día de Muertos” speaks about the worldview of the cultures of those times in regards to the cycles of life and death, not only for humans but for god and nature too.įor the ancestral cultures, everything in life was in constant transformation, and so, the transformation was eternal. The prehispanic “Mexico” belongs to the time in history before 1519 – 1521. To talk about the Day of the Dead for Mexico as a whole means that we have to travel to a time when it wasn’t Mexico yet. What is the day of the dead celebration for Mexicans Drive around different villages such as Teotitlan del Valle, try the traditional Oaxacan food,.Participate in the Celebrations like the carnival in February, Holy Week in March and April, La Guelaguetza in July, and of course, their Day of the dead celebration.Witness and be part of one of the many celebrations that take place in the city center during the year.Lose yourself in downtown Oaxaca the local markets, take pictures of its revolutionary street art or simply walk for hours.Learn the process in which the gorgeous wool rugs, the alebrijes, and the black clay crafts are made.The best place to try one or two or three of the many craft Mezcales.It is where you can try some of the most creative Mexican food among which the famous Tlayudas, one of their 7 moles, or dare to try the “ chapulines” (fried grasshoppers).Oaxaca City is the main place to be if one wants to visit the archeological sites of Mitla or Montalban or the so popular petrified waterfalls Hierve el agua, among other amazing places to visit on day trips from Oaxaca.While the idea of celebrating death might strike a morbid chord for some people in the United States, for us it's a way to celebrate the lives of our deceased loved ones and honor their memories through food, music, photos, and brightly colored altars.Unmissable things to do in Oaxaca (at a glance) Since then, it has become one of my very favorite holidays and traditions - one that my children and I look forward to each year. They were tasked with bringing photos and mementos of their loved ones while I prepared some of my favorite family recipes. Inspired by the lively celebrations in Old Town, I built my Día de los Muertos altar and invited friends and family to join in on the festivities. Over ten years ago, while living in San Diego, I created my first home altar to honor my father. Nowadays on November 1st and 2nd the living honor the dead by visiting gravesites, building altars, and preparing their favorite foods in order to encourage a visit to the terrestrial world. Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is rooted in Mesoamerican culture and was likely first observed by the Aztecs in festivals that celebrated the ruler of the underworld, Mictecacihuatl.
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