Day of the Dead(Spanish:Día de Muertos) is aMexicanholiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.
It is particularly celebrated in Mexico where the day is apublic holiday. Prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century, the celebration took place at the beginning of summer. It was moved to October 31, November 1 and November 2 to coincide with theRoman Catholictriduum festival ofAllhallowtide:All Saints' Eve,All Saints' Day, andAll Souls' Day.Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars calledofrendas, honoring the deceased usingsugar skulls,marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Visitors also leave possessions of the deceased at the graves.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to anAztecfestivaldedicated to thegoddessMictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world, being absorbed within other deep traditions for honoring the dead. It happens to be a holiday that has become a national symbol and as such is taught (for educational purposes) in the nation's schools, but there are families who are more inclined to celebrate a traditional "All Saints Day" associated with the Catholic Church.
InBrazil,Dia de Finadosis a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. InSpain, festivals and parades are frequently held and people often gather at cemeteries and pray for their deceased loved ones at the end of the day. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, andsimilarly themed celebrationsappear in manyAsianandAfrican cultures.
In France and some other European countries, All Souls Day was observed by visits of families to the graves of loved ones, where they left chrysanthemums. WriterMarguerite Yourcenar observed that, "autumnal rites are among the oldest celebrated on earth. It appears that in every country the Day of the Dead occurs at the year's end, after the last harvests, when the barren earth is thought to give passage to the souls lying beneath it”.
She also notes exceptions to the autumn season, such as theBuddhistBon festival which is held in summer.Butsimilarly themed celebrationsof honoring the dead have been practiced since prehistoric times in manyAsianandAfricancultures.
Your Assignment is to create/design an altar for Dia De Los Muertos. Your altar creation can be just an image, but it must be celebratory, a finished piece of Artwork. Consider what must go on altar, i.e., candles, decorative skulls, objects that represented the individual, an image of the individual, and various religious artifacts.