While my favorite holiday of all is October 31 because it encapsulates so many different meanings and celebrations for every culture and society around the world, my second favorite holiday is celebrated the day after Halloween. This particular holiday goes by several different names, but it is best known in North America as
El Dia de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead". This name is derived from the Mexican holiday meant to be a celebration and remembrance of those deceased loved ones, and it is a syncretistic holiday that melds pre-Columbian and Catholic traditions. This holiday is celebrated in a variety of incarnations among cultures around the globe. While I have never had the opportunity to celebrate a traditional Mexican Day of the Dead holiday, I did, several years ago, have the opportunity to celebrate the Chilean version, known as
Día de Todos los Santos, and today's post is focused on my personal description of those experiences:
In 2009, I was in Chile in order to conduct research related to my doctoral thesis. I was living in Arica, Chile, at the time, and the end of October/beginning of November fell on a weekend. I had spent Halloween day and night with various friends, celebrating and carrying on, and despite having been up late at a party of four young women who were teaching English abroad that I met and became friends with, I awoke the next morning early because I had heard that a version of El Dia de los Muertos was celebrated in Chile and I wanted the opportunity to experience that aspect of the culture. I had previously asked the girls if they wanted to go but they were too tired, so I ventured out on my own. I went down to the big cemetery that was located in the downtown, which also happened to be the only cemetery I knew about in town, and I was a bit taken aback by what I saw. Yes, there were a lot of people in the cemetery; graves were adorned with pictures, candles, and so much more; and people were huddled around the graves of lost loved ones, but it was quiet. Everyone was quiet. No one was talking. People were looking at me like I was an alien or I had sprouted a second head (only one of which maybe applied in that circumstance). I felt like I was interrupting something sacred and that I should leave. I snapped a few photos of graves that were not being visited, continued my walk through the cemetery grounds, and then departed back to the hostel I was staying at.
On my way back, I remembered that there was another cemetery in the next town over and thought it might be interesting to visit that one, too. I mulled over this decision while eating lunch. My experience at the city cemetery was pretty harsh and I didn't like that feeling of intrusion that I was left with. But I mustered up my courage, figured I only live once, and decided to take a
collectivo (taxi cab with a set route) down to the cemetery. I walked down to the place where it would be easiest to catch my collectivo and was pleasantly surprised to find rows of buses, and they were all going down to the cemetery. I paid my fare, got on the bus, and headed down to the cemetery, which was nice since I didn't have to climb up the hill to get to it. My experience this time around was so much different from that in the city cemetery. There were vendors selling items ranging from cemetery wreaths, food, jewelry, flowers, etc., there were mariachi bands available for hire to play to the dead, everyone was smiling and carrying on, and at least one man offered to share his beer with me (I declined, by the way). Everyone was much more willing and desiring of their photos being taken. I was invited to join celebrations with the living and heard stories they told of their deceased loved ones. There was a group of Catholic priests at the entrance of the cemetery providing mass to anyone who desired it, and there was a small group of people receiving it. Overall, this experience more closely resembled the tales I had heard about the Mexican Day of the Dead, and overall, it was an enjoyable experience.
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| Catholic Priests providing Mass |
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| Graves of cremated individuals. |
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| Close up of cremation internment. |
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| Panoramic view of the San Miguel de Azapa cemetery. |
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| Celebrating life. |
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| This man was the one who offered me some beer. He offered some to this loved one, as well, by pouring the beer onto the ground by the grave. |
More Photos and Videos can be found here at my original Chilean travel blog!
Many individuals from my two cultures, German and American, have a hard time understanding the purpose of such rituals. Death is such a private thing in my cultures. It is not something that people seek, desire, or want to experience. As someone who has experienced far too much death over my short lifetime, I understand that sentiment completely, but I awoke the next morning early, celebrations such as El Dia de los Muertos and Día de Todos los Santos are not about celebrating death. They are about remembering the lives of those you've lost and focusing on those good times. Sharing with them, although they are dead, your life that you are now living. It really does instill in one that life is precious and should be lived to the fullest. It's a different mindset and different way of understanding the dichotomy of life and death, one that I personally find much more satisfying and fulfilling.
This post is dedicated to all the special people that I have loved and lost over the years. You have not and will never be forgotten. Until we meet again...
37 comments:
It appears that people of these cultures have an annual funeral to remember friends and family as a whole who have passed away. It is not a private thing but, more of a public event. My own culture is more squeamish when it comes to death. People generally try to move on and forget about it. It is nice to know that some places celebrate peoples live in subsequent years after they die rather than simply having one private funeral service and then everyone forgetting about it.
Halloween is a holiday that I really dislike. Why? I'm not sure. However El Dia de los Muertos is one that I've always been interested in. Maybe it was all of those years of taking Spanish and learning all about the holiday. If I were in your position to experience it or a version such as Dia de Todos los Santos, I would have definitely jumped at the opportunity.
That's exactly what El Dia de los Muertos is about. It's not about celebrating life in general, it is about celebrating the life of those who have passed. I always though it was interesting when celebrating El Dia de los Muertos with my family and we adorned our family members graves, we would place alcohol bottles for an uncle that passed away because of liver damage from drinking. But my mother would always say, "We always told him not to drink so much, but he loved drinking." She would tell us that on this day our family members would come alive in spirit and enjoy all the things we would bring them because it was their favorite. It's just a great day to remember our family members that have passed away and for me it's always been a day of happiness with music and family and hope one day I'm remembered the same way.
The American culture is a more quiet one in the aspect of the dead. Most funerals for the passed are so quiet and so reserved. I have been to a couple in my life that were so boisterous, it was kind of scary. But later I discovered that the person who had passed, that was their wish, for everyone to party and have a good time. Do not think of the bad thing that they are gone, but think of all the good times you all had when they were still here. Since 1996, I have lost many of my loved ones. This includes a fifteen year old brother and a ninety year old grandmother and a twenty year old adopted son. The adopted son was the most recent. In a Native American culture, they do bon fires and tee-pees. They do singing and dancing and banging of drums. It is very interesting to see some other ways to celebrate the passing of life.
Wow, that sounds like an amazing experience! I’ve always been interested in the Día de Muertos but had never heard of Día de Todos los Santos, which sounds equally as amazing. I do remember seeing a bit of Día de Muertos in East Oakland when living in the Bay Area, but never really got to participate. Your story sounds like so much fun, being able to truly partake in the experience!
Also, I feel that you really hit the nail on the head when comparing how American culture views life/death when compared to those who celebrate Día de Muertos / Día de Todos los Santos. Life is short, and should be celebrated to the fullest, each and every day. In terms of how I feel we handle death in America, a variety of visuals and memories circle around in my head (and I’m sure many other Americans) of depressing funerals taking place in grey dismal weather with an overall feeling of loss encompassing the funeral party. When I leave this realm, I would really like for those in attendance to dance, be merry and imbibe, but most of all: be happy to have shared a slice of life with myself and everyone else. I feel that there’s little room to needlessly welcome sadness into our lives, and we could all use more “bliss on tap” in our days.
It was my first semester in graduate school that I read a revolutionary article that changed the way that I view death rituals-both in the past and the present. The article's name and author escapes me, but basically the premise of the article was that death rituals are not about the deceased but about the living. The deceased is dead, and unless some sort of intellectual zombism occurs (where the dead rise with their mental faculties fully in tact), the dead have no real say in what and how the living celebrate or mourn the deceased. In this way, culture really does play a huge part in how death rituals are structured and played out. So while you may request that a celebration happen at your death, the living you left behind may opt not to do so. I've, unfortunately, already seen this played out due to the untimely death of a friend of me (side note: drinking and driving is deadly so don't do it!). He had told everyone that in the event of his death that he wanted everyone to have a party and celebrate the life he led, not the death that ended it, but because his death was so tragic and unexpected, very few people could actually bring themselves to honoring that request. Something to keep in mind when making such statements and arrangements. Death rituals are not about the dead but about the living.
Michelle Cooper
I think that it's really cool that this Mexican culture celebrate not death, but what the people did in their lives and how they affected the people who are living today. I never quite understood this holiday because we used to study it in my Spanish classes but I now know the true meaning of it. I also like the festive things they have like the flowers and wreaths, the skeletons and the sugar skull.
Michelle, this wasn't in Mexico but in Chile, which is a different country with its own culture. :)
I found this post enjoyable to read because I didn't know much about the holiday besides the fact that it meant tons of food in my high school Spanish class if it landed on a school day. With the recent passing of my brother, March 19th, I've decided to focus on celebrating the short 22 years that he lived and remembering the good times like the people do on El Dia de los Muertos so I could completely understand and relate to that aspect, but I don't think I would do it publicly at the cemetery because it's a very private thing for me. I do come from a Mexican and Catholic background though, so I wonder if that side of my family likes to partake in those celebrations.
-Destiny Hernandez
I wonder why the two cemeteries where so vastly different in their adaptations of that day?
Urban vs. rural populations. Urban anthropologists have noted distinctive differences between these populations in the US, and it appears that differences exist in Chilean urban and rural populations.
I love the Day of the Dead. I find that the practice of celebrating the life of the deceased is much more respectful and honoring for the dead than American funerals. I think that these lively celebrations celebrate life in a way that is more beneficial for those left behind and more respectful for those who are gone.
Courteney Hedicke, Anth 101
this is my cultral right here so i know all about the day of the dead is what it represents. We charish the love ones that have passed away and they say that when we go to there grave we can talk to them and they can hear what we are saying. It is a fun festival feats.
briana banuerlos
anthro 102 10001
This is interesting how different areas of a society will celebrate holidays or events differently. From being very quiet, to selling goods at merchant tents, this article exposed a lot of variety. I wonder if our "day of the dead" is going to a funeral or memorial day.
Zachary Forrester
anthro 101 3001 summer
On our homestead in Chester, Nebraska the family gets together twice a year to clean the cemetery plot and have a picnic lunch.
I also love the decorations of this day. The bright colors, sculls, and playful morbidity have been adopted into American culture. San Francisco around the Mission District there is a lot of celebrating on this day.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this blog. The insight or perspective that you gained from your experience, in my opinion, was true gift. Maybe a message delivered by those you have lost? =0) (I'd like to think so)
Over the course of 2015, we have had 5 family members pass away. It's been challenging year. The passing of my uncle (was very close with) had been completely unexpected and proved to be REALLY, really difficult for me to come to terms with. Through his words he shared with me about death, years ago, I am coming to learn and understand a very similar perspective to what you shared of in your experience.
My uncle's opinion was- the time we spend in mourning, is not for mourning the one who passed, but for ourselves. We mourn OUR loss (of that person) "How selfish is that?", he asked. That has stuck with me and ignited a desire to learn how to live in the present - appreciating and celebrating life AS it is happening. An idea that I connect to what Dia de los Muertos represents.
Imagine if our society adopted the ideas Dia de los Muertos encompasses, regardless of our religious identification, the need to privately mourn, as you mentioned, would no longer be. I think that it would be replaced with a sense of support and connection with community while serving as a reminder to celebrate each other during and after life. Death would no longer be so scary, tragic or emotionally painful.
Would you agree, or do you think that we (American society) would still opt to mourn privately?
Lisa Moon
Anthro 101-300
American (and many Western) societies have a long history of mourning rituals, and they seem to by cyclical in the sense that private and public mourning seem to go in and out of fashion/popularity. I suspect that such events may come back into popularity if specific cultural norms and values that dictate the privacy of mourning change, as well. As mentioned in the chapter on culture culture is integrated so as one aspect of culture changes others will, too. As for how it would affect American culture I think you should read up on Victorian mourning rituals, as that may provide you some insights into your question. :)
I have celebrated the day of the dead before a long time ago. From what I remember there was a lot of food and praying. We visited the cemetery to see my grandmother but not for too long we just said a couple of prayers then left. But the day of the dead is usually a day to remember the good times that one has had with those who passed over. It is not a sad tradition for my family but a happy one.
Día de Todos los Santos could be said that it is a "wake". In a "wake" you would celebrate the life of the deceased rather than morn the death of the individual. I would rather have a wake for myself as to not burden my loved ones with the depressing thought that i am gone. This is one part of the Chilean and Mexican cultures that i admire.
I've always wanted to go to a day of the dead celebration as many of my students have talked about their own experiences and some have even invited me to go with them, though I have declined. I imagine I might feel alienated as you did in your first experience early on in the day. I still hope to eventually make it to one.
Death has always been a really scary subject to me. I think what scares me the most about it is the fact that it is so unknown. I think about the concept of actually dying and it always sends shivers down my spine. How someone can be in your everyday life and just be gone for the rest of your life. How you can be here one day and be gone the next. However I always have envied this culture's way of perceiving death and how it is more of a celebration rather than a tragedy. It comforts me to know that death can be beautiful and graceful instead of horrifying and sudden. I really liked reading this.
These celebrations, both the Day of the Dead and "All Saints Day" as I have always known it, are beautiful to me. They ARE about living,about celebrating not just the life we are currently living, but the life we lived with our loved ones and the life they lived. It is family and friends coming together to remind each other their loved ones are not lost and are still remembered and loved. Death does not stop the loving and these celebrations are a beautiful way to celebrate life. I have also lost too many people (and pets) in my life and I still miss them all. I see nothing unhealthy or sad about these traditions, they are amazing to me. I wish my family did things like this. My Latino friends in Southern California do though and that makes me glad.
I enjoy reading the brief juxtaposition offered that this ritual has in comparison to that of 'mourning/rememberance' in American culture. I've always felt that American culture has had a strong unity and in public memorialization of certain figures--see: politicians, celebrities, etc. Would you be inclined to say that the increase and attached importance of social media has enabled 'mourning/grieving' to shift from a private process to a shared and collective one, even within the private citizenry?
As crying, either by the onset of melancholy or nosalgia (pleasant or otherwise, seems like an invetiable consequence in these events, I think that it's noteworthy that some recent studies have shown that more democratic and affluent countries tend to cry more than those that arent. "These indicators relate to freedom of expression rather than to suffering; therefore, our data provide support for a model that views country differences in crying as being connected with country differences in expressiveness and personality rather than in distress" (http://ccr.sagepub.com/content/45/4/399). I feel like there might a transient shift occuring in regards to grief in American culture...lest emotional repression be continued to be held as the conventional cultural standard.
In Colombia we celebrate the Little Candles' Day, in spanish is El Día de las Velitas. It is a traditional holidays in Colombia and It is celebrated on December 7. This day is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in the country. On this day, people place candles and paper lanterns on windowsills, balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, parks and squares, alsmost everywhere. People performance this celebration in honor of the Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Conception. Also in this day it is very popular that people go to the cementary and does decore of graves with picture, candles and flower, they almost do a party because many of them bring live music to the cementaries as mariachis and also they drink lot liqueur in memory of the dead relatives.
ANTROPOLOGY 101
ELIANA LLANOS
Americans don't tend to want death and, even if many say they, they aren't afraid, I believe this is because of a fear for the unknown that comes after death that most have.
On a side note, I was in Chicago last year when there was a day of the dead parade. It was interesting to see so many people in one place that were so passionate about their tradition.
Día de Todos los Santos is a very interesting article covering how people remember there loved ones. Its hard to loose the ones you see everyday. Its neat to see how different cultures remember there lost ones. Most of the time in my family if we loose a member we go their grave site and have a moment of silence and let the good memories run through our minds that were spent with them.
That sounds like an interesting experience. I don't understand why one town celebrated this holiday completely different from the other town.
The part that I like the most about this article is that the "Día de Todos los Santos" is about remembering the lives of those you've lost and focusing on those good times. I think Americans should views death this way instead of being sad about loosing a loved one we should try to think about all the good times when they were alive.
-Monique McAllister
Having my "nana" come from Cuba, we celebrate the day of the dead every year. This past month we celebrated the life of my late uncle! Nana calls it all soul day for some reason, but love to celebrate it in our household.
I never knew "day of the dead" was really a thing. it would be hard for me to celebrate someone close to me death, although that's not what they're really doing that's how I see it.
-apreshana page
I really enjoyed this article because where I'm from death was always sad. It was sad because we didn't want that person to leave us at all. My cousin passed away in May 2016 and left behind a beautiful baby girl. Still til this day I get emotional about it because I miss him so much that it literally makes my heart hurt and ache with pain every time I think about it (like now). His funeral was the only funeral that everyone tried to make not sad, but it still was. I love how they celebrate their loved ones and not cry about it all day. It's nice seeing that. - Alexis Buford
Interesting read, did you ever figure out why the community was so different from one cemetery to the other?
This reminds of my Spanish teacher in high school he had us celebrate the day of dead and I totally enjoyed it . I know death is supposed to be a sad thing but no not on this day it is a beautiful celebration with so many pretty colors and great food . But some Hispanic cultures do celebrate it differently and may also call it by a different name . - Mykia Chaney
I've always wanted to go to a day of the dead celebration. I first learned about this tradition when I was in spanish class and we all brought a picture of our loved relatives that passed away and had a pot luck to remember them. Sense then I have been invited to a few celebrations sense but declined them because I wasn't accustomed to the tradition yet.
Interesting read but very confusing to me. They definitely celebrate death differently then America does.
-Micah Seals
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