During my stay in Merida, Mexico, in 2023, I had the opportunity to partake in the celebration of El Dia De Los Muertos. At the time I had little understanding of what this holiday meant other than what I remembered from watching the Pixar children’s movie Coco where the audience (both children and adults) are educated about Mexican culture and their approach to how they view death. Notwithstanding, the movie does not fully touch on the significance of what this religious holiday is all about and the power of the altar….

It’s important to note that all societies use some form of remembrance rituals, whether through funeral services, memorials, and dedicated holidays, much like Veterans Day and El Dia de los Muertos — all different approaches. Partly not to forget, but to also remember what these persons meant to our lives and to celebrate their contributions. A way of making sense of difficult times by providing support, togetherness, and not feeling alone. For me, the use of homemade altars offers another approach to remembrance and dealing with loss.

The Significance of Altars in Remembering our Loved Ones

I recently wrote a story on the EL Día De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) where I shared my experiences and perspective on this unique and important historical ritual celebrated throughout many parts of the world (Click here). Both the Aztecs and Mayans believed the dead should not be mourned, that life and death are not to be separated but instead celebrated every year when their spirits return to reunite with family and friends. There are many variations of how these spirits come to visit and how they are celebrated, depending on the region or country.

The formation and presence of homemade altars referred to as Ofrendas (offerings) to welcome those deceased during the first week of November piqued my curiosity and desire to become more familiar with this concept. Frankly, while I was aware of altars in churches and sometimes in homes, I never made a connection with them or fully understood their purpose. As part of the Paseo de las Aminas (the journey of the spirits) celebrated on November 1st, I was emotionally affected by seeing so many altars reminding me of loved ones I lost over the years, especially the loss of my mom seven years ago. What is different about the use of homemade altars is that instead of mourning over the loss of loved ones, families can celebrate reflecting on their lives and sharing lasting memories with others. The Altars become vessels for sharing stories of the deceased, celebrating with friends and family about their ancestors who they may have not known.

During my stay in Merida, I was able to experience the power of the Ofrendas talking to folks who openly shared with me how they form one and who they were celebrating. On the day of the Paseo de las Aminas, (the journey of the spirits) walking from the cemetery to the main plaza I was struck by the number of Ofrendas that were installed along the corridor by schools, associations and families from the neighborhood welcoming the dead with their offerings of food and drinks. The Ofrendas were of all sizes, many quite elaborate, while others were very simple and profoundly moving as each of them included photos, every day objects belonging to the deceased, flowers, candles, food, and drinks for the deceased to feast on. For the first time, I felt the significance of celebrating and not mourning loved ones. It’s important to note these Ofrendas also have a public viewing as they can be seen not only in homes but in stores, hotels, government offices, restaurants, businesses. The city actually places Ofrendas among its parks and plaza celebrating deceased employees. I have taken as many photos as I can to remind myself of what this experience was like, as I very much like to adopt this concept along with my sisters to celebrate the passing of our loved ones.

 Building an Altar

How does one go about building an altar? If we follow Mexican traditions, there are some basic elements in building an Ofrenda that should be considered. Some of these are apparent in the photos.  Below, I listed some of these elements and references regarding their origin.

Flowers– especially the marigold flower, it was believed that its smell attracted the dead.

 Water –is provided for quenching thirst after their journey, symbolizing the purity of the soul and the      light on the path.

 Incense–to purify the place designated for the offering.

 Salt—plays a role in purifying the dead.

 Candles–It guide the souls to return to their homes.

 Food and drinks– usually their favorites, mostly fruits and bread for them to feast on.

 Color papers with cut outs of Mexican patterns and designs (papel picado)

 Personal items of the deceased such as photos, jewelry, clothing, etc.

 Religious items– a rosary, a cross, favorite saint, sugar skulls or ceramic ones

It’s not necessary to use all these elements, as it is more important to include what is meaningful to you and your loved ones.

Other Forms of Remembrance

There are other traditions and customs that are part of El Día de Los Muertos that Mexicans celebrate and I was able to experience. One of them is how colorful their cemeteries are. Some towns clean and paint them every year as part of a community project to prepare for the holiday. In Merida, their oldest cemetery is considered a historical monument, where they give tours and organize El Paseo de las Aminas. In the town of Pomuch, near Campeche, a tradition that is slowly dying is the cleansing of their dead relatives’ skulls and bones. Once buried and after a period of time they are dug out, cleaned, and situated in a cemetery box adorned with embroidered linen where they are left to visit and clean every year during this holiday. Unfortunately, the tradition is slowly dying, remaining mostly with elders (no pun intended). I got to visit the cemetery and was allowed to take photos.

Final Note

 As we age, we know that death is unavoidable and how we want to live our remaining golden years becomes a greater concern to us as individuals and to our family members. How best to remember those who have passed is many times left to an occasional visit at the cemetery. A question I ponder: Are there other ways to remember loved one, much like the Mayans have done for thousands of years? For myself, I know the altar would be a better option. The experience of going to the cemetery is a bit depressing and, frankly, it is one I avoid. I welcome both this tradition and perspective on death as both my siblings and I age and will one day leave this earth behind.

My photos start with the Ofrendas that were part of the Paseo de las Aminas and includes photos of the City’s Ofrenda and those of other businesses. I also included photos of the town of Pomuch and its cemetery highlighting the boxes of skulls and bones. As always, remember to click the center of the photos to access a full view of each photo.

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