Day of the Dead
When is the Day of the Dead?
The answer is “every day”, given that on every single day someone dies.
Over the course of history and in all cultures, there have been rituals to honor the dead. Everyone know that death is an inevitable part of the process of life. And death is such a complex thing that even science has not been able to prove with certainty that there is no soul, or that it’s not possible to live on another plane, place or dimension after death.
The majority of humanity has always believed in the existence of a god, and therefore they are sure that in some way there must be “something” after death. This is part of the idea that death is the end of life, but not of existence.
For us Hispanics, and more concretely for Mexicans, the topic of death is motive not only for remembrance and veneration, but also motive to mock death. Sarcasm and satire are part of our culture and we use them daily, so doing it towards death is not something strange.
For Mexicans, remembering the dead is a way of keeping them alive and we do it by going to cemeteries, cleaning and decorating their tombs, and placing altars in our homes that are decorated with ‘papel picado’ (cut-out paper) of different colors and where we put a photo of the deceased, their belongings, and what is most important: the candies, dishes and drinks that they liked to eat when they were alive.
This is such an important celebration that UNESCO has considered the Day of the Dead as Immaterial Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In any case, whether we are believers or not, remembering and honoring the dead is something that keeps us united as human beings in the adventure called life.
