It may be a cool, dark night in Mexico. But the air seems to be warmed by the soft glow of hundreds of candles. In almost every cemetery around the country, you can hear laughter and singing. You can watch families gather around the graves of their loved ones adorned with foods, favorite objects, and marigolds.
This is El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a Mexican holiday exclusively for the dead. With origins and traditions combining Aztec, Catholicism, and other indigenous beliefs, it is observed on November 1st and 2nd of each year. It gives the individual an annual reminder of his/her mortality. No matter how famous you are, Death is your last partner on the dance floor.
This mysterious celebration may sound like a strange variation of Halloween to most Americans, but to the people of Mexico it is much more than that.
"Dia de los Muertos is a loved and sacred celebration in Mexico," said Hernando Garcia. "It is about paying respect to the dead.".
Mr. Garcia is a seasonal migrant worker who for six to eight months out of the year, lives in the southern Indiana area. He was born and raised in Mexico, but has had the opportunity to experience both Day of the Dead and Halloween.
"It (Day of the Dead) is not a Halloween party, it's a festival of colorful images and symbols," Mr. Garcia said.
But Garcia does stress that in recent years the two holidays have been growing commercially more alike. As Day of the Dead celebrations increase in popularity, so do the number of people and businesses that wish to tap into its financial power. .
About mid-October in Mexico, skeletal figures make their appearance in store displays and market stands. Candy skulls are exchanged as gifts. Bakeries sell pan de muertos (bread of the dead). Vendors and artisans feature skeletal images with their handcrafted wood toys and paper-mache masks. Soon the images of calaveras (skulls) are everywhere. While calavera means "skull" it has become slang for "dead one" and is shown in humor and good nature.
