Many people make altars or “ofrendas” (offerings) in their homes to honor their loved ones who have died. Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel picado, or traditional paper banners, represent the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way. Every state in Mexico has its own particular way of setting up their ofrendas. In some regions, you can find a flat surface with all the elements on it, while in others you can find several levels. The most common ones have three levels, which represent heaven, earth, and the underworld. With more elaborate ofrendas, you can find up to seven levels.
There's meaning behind these molds and why they're made out of sugar. It all dates back to the Spanish conquest. While a tradition of honoring the dead already existed in Mexico at the time, the Spaniards brought about new learnings and customs and with that the idea of molding decorations from ingredients easily available. Sugar was accessible to Mexicans at the time, even those with little money, so it was a natural choice. Once they learned that they could make these skull molds with the ingredient and water (that's all it really is), the idea of the sugar skull evolved and grew to be an important symbol of the day.
Going back to the altar, skulls are placed as decorations to recognize the person who has passed. His or her name is written on the sugar skull's forehead and, depending on the age of the deceased, the size of the skull might vary — baby skulls are dedicated to those who passed at a young age and larger skulls are for adults.
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Flowers, which symbolize the brevity of life, are an essential element of the Day of the Dead ofrenda. Though many different flowers are used in Day of the Dead celebrations, one flower has become a national symbol for the festival: the marigold. Also called cempasúchil (the flower of 400 lives), k'etsikarhani, or cempoaxotchil, the marigold holds a revered place in pre-Columbian religious history. According to legend, cempasúchil, which comes from the Nahuatl words cemposalli, meaning “twenty,” and xochitl, or “flower,” making marigolds the “flower of twenty petals,” were miraculously gifted to the Nahua by Tonatiuh, their sun god, so that they might honor their dead. Today, the marigold continues to be featured prominently in all aspects of Day of the Dead rituals.
Decoratively cut paper used in Mexico for all holidays and fiestas. During the “Día de los Muertos” celebration it is placed around the edges of the altar, which adds color to the table. The origins of these traditional paper arts lie in pre-conquest times as Indigenous peoples in the Americas used paper made from natural products such as plants and animal skins to record historical events as well as for decoration. Some say that the four elements are represented with different items at the altar and the movement of the “papel picado” represents air. Papel picado artists use a number of specialized drawing and cutting tools, first laying out the intricate traditional designs to shape images or words—akin to silhouettes—on the paper and then punching out designs.
Pan de muerto is an essential part of a Día de los Muertos home altar or shrine, also called an ofrenda. The bread adorns the altar openly or in a basket, and is meant to nourish the dead when they return to the land of the living during Día de los Muertos. The loaves share crowded space with photos of departed loved ones, a few of their favorite beverages or snacks, and garlands of bright marigolds. Ofrendas also commonly include calavera sugar skulls and a rosary, cross, or crucifix.
It has a complex sweetness that comes not just from sugar, but also from anise and orange blossom essence. The result is a spongy, challah-like loaf rife with buttery and citrus notes, after which rides a light licorice finish. Sugar falls everywhere as you eat.
The choice of flour is significant. Although Día de los Muertos has pre-Hispanic roots, the bread itself is usually made from wheat flour, brought to Mexico by the Spanish. The ingredient ties it to conquest and conversion. “Wheat is connected directly with the Catholic Church and how the religion was imposed and taught to the indigenous people,” explains Iliana de la Vega, executive chef and co-owner at El Naranjo in Austin.
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In some regions of Mexico sand sculptures or tapestries (“tapetes de arena”) are a vital part of the celebration. These are created with sand and pigment and sometimes other elements such as seeds, beans, flower petals and sawdust, and may depict religious themes, but more often depict death in a playful manner. The tradition of making tapetes originated in Spain as part of the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, eventually leading up to Good Friday and Holy Week. The events mark the death and resurrection of Christ, and the tapetes for these celebrations depict scenes of the Passion.
La Catrina: Is a female skeleton dressed in the style of upper-class women of the 1900s created by Mexican lithographer and illustrator José Guadalupe Posada. Originally used to depict contemporary figures as skeletons in a humorous way as a form of social commentary, the illustration has become a prominent figure in Day of the Dead decorations and celebrations.
'La Calavera de la Catrina', 1913 (zinc etching) (b/w photo)
Copal is a natural tree resin that is between two states—it is neither a hardened resin nor sap. Copal resin comes from trees in the Buresa family, which is considered a medicinal tree to the Mayas in southern Mexico. These medicinal trees are traditionally used for clearing the body of diseases and also to keep mosquitos away. Since ancient times, Copal incense has been considered sacred to the people of Mexico, as well as South and Central America. It goes as far back to the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Mass amounts of copal resin were burned atop the Aztec and Mayan pyramids as offerings to the gods and deities. In the Mayan ruins, copal was discovered in the burial grounds, proving its spiritual significance.
Monarch butterflies play a role in Día de los Muertos because they are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. This belief stems from the fact that the first monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter each fall on Nov. 1, which coincides with Día de los Muertos.
It was believed that the Xoloitzcuintli (an endemic and ancient dog breed) would help the spirits cross the Chiconauhuapan river to reach the Underworld. In those times, it was customary to bury a Xolo with the deceased, so that its spirit would guide them. Today, placing a ceramic Xolo or anything alluding to it is more than sufficient, so don’t worry.
Salt is another element of purification. It is sometimes shaped into a cross to represent the four cardinal points (north, south, east, and west). Sometimes, ashes are used in place of salt. The continuation of life.
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Candles are an essential elemental of ofrendas. They keep vigil throughout the night, illuminating the way for visiting souls. Candles symbolize hope and faith, along with the life element of fire. Some families place one candle per person that they are remembering, and other scatter them patterns.
As the day is also rooted in Catholic traditions, religious objects are often present on the altar. Some families include objects such as images of saints, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, rosaries, and crucifixes. Different elements can be arranged in the shape of a cross as well.