Dia de los Muertos

[Lily]

On October 31st at about midnight transitioning to Nov 1-2 Dia de Los Muertos officially begins in Mexico.

Dia de los Muertos isn't "Mexican Halloween". It is a pagan pre-Hispanic celebration that was integrated into the Catholic Church. It is a time to remember the ancestors. Mexicans celebrate by having altars at home, called "offrendas" where pictures of loved ones are surrounded by flowers, the deceased relatives favorite foods, flowers, water...there are special foods that are symbolic. A celebration and recognition of life and those we love and their presence in our lives as long as they our in our memories. It is not somber, but celebratory and joyful.

If you have lost someone recently, this is a lovely way to remember them.

 

[Lily]

 

[Lily]

 

[Lily]

La Bruja- The Witch

 

[Lily]

Don't cry for me, no, don't cry for me, no
Because if you cry, I'll be filled with sorrow
Instead, if you sing to me
I will live forever, I'll never die.

Light of the morning

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The king of all of the suns,
Sing to me joyous songs, oh my love!
That will bring joy to the hearts of all.

Light of the morning
The king of all of songs
Sing to me joyous songs, oh my love!
That will bring joy to the hearts of all.

Don't cry for me, no, don't cry for me, no
Because if you cry, I'll be filled with sorrow
Instead, if you sing to me
I will live forever, I'll never die.

If you want me to remember you
If you want me not to forget you
Sing these joyous songs, my love!
Music that never dies.

If you want me to remember you
If you want me not to forget you
Sing these joyous songs, my love!
Music that never dies.

Don't cry for me, no, don't cry for me, no
Because if you cry, I'll be filled with sorrow
Instead, if you sing to me
I will live forever, I'll never die.

Instead, if you sing to me
I will live forever, I'll never die.

 

[Lily]

Xoloitzcuintle - "Mexican hairless" dog​

This breed is believed to be over 7,000 years old.

"Humans have an undeniable bond with their dogs. This has been evident in Mesoamerica since before Spanish colonial contact in the early 1500s—particularly with the “xoloitzcuintli” (pronounced show-low-eats-queen-tlee). The name of this breed is certainly a mouthful, and given this and that many of these dogs are mostly without fur, it is no wonder that many English speakers simply call this breed the “Mexican hairless.” That name, however, does not reflect its significance in Mesoamerican history and cultures.

The breed’s Nahuatl name—which is in the language of the Nahua peoples, including the Aztec—comes from the name of the god who created him, Xolotl, and the Nahuatl word for dog, “itzquintli.” Xolotl ruled over the sunset, lightning and death. According to creation stories, humans and xoloitzcuintlis were formed from the same Bone of Life. Xolos were a gift to humans to guard them in life and guide them in the afterlife."

 

[Lily]

At the cemetery remembering loved ones

 

[Lily]

Ofrenda - altar/offering

 

[Lily]

Another ofrenda

 

[Lily]

 

[Alticus]

I love those painted skulls.

 

[Lily]

I love those painted skulls.

Me too. I love all the traditions related to DDM.

 

[LotusBud]

It's Dia de Todos Os Santos here. Same idea. I mean, every Catholic holiday here is borrowed from Pagan celebrations, and there are lots of interesting bits of those celebrations that heavily influence what happens here.

You're supposed to give cakes to the kids here, but it's kind of turning into trick or treat.

 

[Lily]

It's Dia de Todos Os Santos here. Same idea. I mean, every Catholic holiday here is borrowed from Pagan celebrations, and there are lots of interesting bits of those celebrations that heavily influence what happens here.

You're supposed to give cakes to the kids here, but it's kind of turning into trick or treat.

Cakes are probably better, to be honest.

Yeah, the Nahua people celebrated DDM in July before the conquest. It is a Catholic all saints and souls day combined with the Mexica (Aztec) traditions of acknowledging that life continues after death in a spiritual form.

 

[LotusBud]

Cakes are probably better, to be honest.

Yeah, the Nahua people celebrated DDM in July before the conquest. It is a Catholic all saints and souls day combined with the Mexica (Aztec) traditions of acknowledging that life continues after death in a spiritual form.

Yeah. I mean here, the Pagan celebration was the end of harvest season, and it was also about spirits of the dead. The veil between the living and the dead is thinner at this time.

The little cakes are to feed God.

It's definitely a mashup.

But we don't have the beautiful death visuals here that they have in Mexico. They just decorate the graves.

 

[LotusBud]

This made me think. There is a church in every village, and there are thousands of little villages here. And every town, and I mean small town, has about three churches. Cities have grand churches all over the place, every few blocks.

And I would wager the vast majority of those churches, like the ones in the cities I've seen, are quite empty during mass in relation to the population. The younger people here are not highly religious at all, though tradition is still very strong. Many of the traditions, though they have religious overtones, are really about dramatic historical events to do with kings and queens and battles.

There is a small, beautiful church in the town I am near (one of many) that is used frequently for classical music concerts. Mass probably sees 10 or 20 congregants.

 

[Lily]

This made me think. There is a church in every village, and there are thousands of little villages here. And every town, and I mean small town, has about three churches. Cities have grand churches all over the place, every few blocks.

And I would wager the vast majority of those churches, like the ones in the cities I've seen, are quite empty during mass in relation to the population. The younger people here are not highly religious at all, though tradition is still very strong. Many of the traditions, though they have religious overtones, are really about dramatic historical events to do with kings and queens and battles.

There is a small, beautiful church in the town I am near (one of many) that is used frequently for classical music concerts. Mass probably sees 10 or 20 congregants.

Back in time I'm sure those places were the center of not just religious but social gatherings. Sounds so quaint and cozy, the small churches that is...

 

[Lily]

 

[Lily]

Today El Charro Gonzalez was in NYC celebrating DDM

 

[LotusBud]

Today is a national holiday in Portugal. Everyone goes to take care of the graves.

 

[Alticus]

A friend of the family in Mexico sent me these:

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