By: Daniel Salcedo Rubio, Features Editor
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a traditional celebration, originating from a mixture of Indigenous and Spanish cultures. The death cult was a core aspect of Indigenous cultures — families of those who had passed away organized parties to guide them towards the Mictlán (the underworld) and offered them food that they liked. The Day of the Dead was seen as the momentary return of those souls looking to spend time with their families and nurture from the food offerings in their altars — it was, and continues to be, a celebration of life. With the coming of the Spanish colonization, many traditions were adapted to the Catholic palate and were mixed with Catholic rituals — this was the case for the Indigenous vision of the Day of the Dead, which gave origin to the contemporary tradition.
While the name of the tradition specifies “day,” the reality is that, in Mexico, the celebration takes place over several days, in many different forms. In Mexico City we hold events such as the annual Day of the Dead Parade, and throughout the entire month of October, day-to-day shops such as bakeries, florists, and street vendors sell pan de muerto, cempasúchil, alebrijes, and calaveritas. Pan de muerto and calaveritas are typical treats of the month, each with their own unique symbolism. Alebrijes, which are sculptures of magical creatures, are a more recent addition to the festivities. Created by Pedro Linares López in the ‘30s, they were “revealed” to him in a fever dream. Cempasúchil flowers are probably one of the most iconic items of Día de los Muertos. Not only do they have a unique scent and bright, orange petals, but because of their importance and symbolism in the tradition. Considered by the Mexicas (also known as the Aztecs) as a symbol of life and death, in an ofrenda it marks the path meant to guide the souls to the ofrenda. However, one of the most recognizable ways of celebrating this tradition tends to be more intimate: the family ofrenda.
Ofrendas, a word which translates to something close to altars, are made to honour our loved ones who have passed away. The belief behind them, similar to the pre-Hispanic traditions, is that our loved ones come back to the land of the living, and as such we decorate and build our ofrendas with items that remind us of them. While the official tradition only considers the ofrenda to be from October 31 to November 2, it has evolved. October 27 is the day to honour our animal companions, “October 28 is for those who had an accidental or tragic death, October 29 is for the forgotten and the souls in purgatory, and October 30 and 31 is for the children who died unbaptized.” While this might seem complicated, the core aspects of the ofrenda will remain the same.
First, comes the placement and overall structure of the ofrenda. Typically, ofrendas are made of two to three levels, representing heaven, earth, and purgatory. However, the tradition actually calls for seven levels, representing seven of the nine strata of the Mictlán. Also, while not a well known fact, the ofrenda should be built facing towards the sunset. In my home, we always opted for just one or two levels, with one being the floor and the other one a couple of small wooden crates covered in a white table cloth. Once the basic structure of the ofrenda is ready, we can start collecting the essential items and decorations: cempasúchil, calaveritas, papel picado, fruits, pan de muerto, and most importantly, photos of your loved ones.
We usually lay out the papel picado, chopped paper, first. Papel picado is meant to represent the “fragility of life,” because, if you have held one in your hand, you know just how fragile these are. It can be placed both flat as a mat or hanging from the ceiling or from one of the levels of the ofrenda. As for colours, we usually stick to orange, purple, and light blue, which nicely complement the colours of the flowers and other decorations, but many ofrendas don’t stick to this rule and use a variety of colours.
Next, we usually take a couple of cempasúchil flowers and spread their petals all over the ofrenda. Some people like to get creative and make entire pieces of art using petals of different flowers. An ofrenda should also include a flower arch, made with cempasúchil flowers, representing the entrance to the land of the dead. However, this element might not be present as it’s a bit harder to set up. Finally, we also spread a couple of cempasúchil and purple celosia flowers throughout the ofrenda.
Then comes the food and drinks. Here, the most important part of the tradition is to offer the favourite foods and drinks of your loved ones, so don’t worry if you can’t find pan de muerto or calaveritas. Both of these items are typically found in an ofrenda, while not required, they are liked by so many so it’s almost impossible to find an ofrenda without them. Pan de muerto, which translates to bread of the dead, is a type of pan dulce (sweet bread) that is usually only baked during this time of the year. Similarly, calaveritas are candy shaped as a skull, usually made out of sugar or chocolate, and are used more as decor than as actual food, but you can definitely eat them — a reminder that death can also be sweet. While pan de muerto isn’t required, an offering of bread is usually included in the ofrenda, following the Catholic symbolism of it being the “Body of Christ.” But back to the important aspect: the favourite foods and drinks. Those who have passed away are coming all the way back to the land of the living, and as such we offer their favourite foods and drinks to honour them. This includes fruits and snacks, complex dishes such as pollo con mole, and alcoholic drinks such as tequila — so if you’re honouring someone who loved timbits, then you better add some timbits to your ofrenda. These items are placed in the lower level of the ofrenda, in what would represent the earth. Plate them as nicely as possible and don’t forget to leave a glass of water, they’re probably thirsty from their trip.
Now, our loved ones. Print photos of them and put them in a nice frame, they’re going on the top level, the one representing heaven. There isn’t much to say decor wise, but this is probably the most important step of building the ofrenda. Funny story, in my first ofrenda competition, we were meant to build an ofrenda for Mexican celebrities. However, I misunderstood the assignment; I thought it was an ofrenda for historical figures and printed a photo of Mexican dictator, Porfirio Diaz. It was a bit hard to explain what Don Porfirio was doing among the photos of celebrities like María Félix or Pedro Infante. Talking and remembering the life of those who have left us as well as the love we have for them is part of the tradition. That’s why a lot of people have started to also include photos of their pets in their ofrendas, and we’ve even dedicated an entire day to them — October 27, the day where the souls of our pets return. While the title of the celebration alludes to death, this tradition is really rooted in the celebration of their life and the love we have for them.
Finally, the finishing touches. Cempasúchil petals guide our loved ones to their ofrenda, so we make a path with them, from the outside of our house all the way back to the ofrenda. Smaller towns, such as the one seen in Coco, go the extra mile and create a path all the way from the cemetery and back to their ofrenda — just as the tradition dictates. While candles are part of the tradition, due to them being a fire hazard, we don’t include them in my home — be careful and take appropriate precautions if included. The ofrenda concludes with the aromatics. Cempasúchil by itself has a pleasant scent, but other aromatic plants tend to be included throughout the ofrenda: laurel, rosemary, and thyme give a pleasant smell that harmonises with the scent of cempasúchil and are believed to purify the air.
These are the core aspects of an ofrenda, but feel free to add more. With the addition of a day to commemorate our animal companions, some have also included their pet’s favourite toys and treats. Some include toys so the children visiting will have something to play with or unusual items with strong ties to their loved ones’ memories: watches, pieces of clothing, or music instruments. Día de los Muertos, and by extension the ofrenda, are intimate ways to celebrate and commemorate the life of those we love and who have passed, so really, you just need to make your ofrenda reflect that sentiment and enjoy the festivities.
