Day of the Death, Mixquic.

Day of the Dead is a day to remember dead relatives, and a place to visit is Mixquic to breathe this tradition. Every day we remember them with much love and care; we can not believe that they had left this world to become one with the universe.

Many talks, and maybe not too much, but believe that Mexicans laugh with death, or that Mexicans do not get scared of death, but we do; we have this type of relation with death that we cry, laugh, and drink with death.

But our connection with death comes back to our ancestors when people used to satisfy the need for blood from gods. It was more an honor than a sorrow, so it is more in our veins than anything else.

Let’s understand this. One thing is the day of the death, the tradition to show respect to those that are dead and remember them. We remember those family members when with happiness and glory in November.

Another thing is the cult to the angel of death or Holy Death that is more with the people that adore that venerate it is more a cult than related with traditions. Two different things, but we dance more with the Catrina (the one that the illustrator Posadas posted in the newspaper long ago).

Days of the Death.

Day of the dead is not a single day but a week for preparations, and now it is more common for us to mix Halloween with other celebrations, which is more for the kids.

People believed that the spirits started coming:
1. 27th of October with our pets that had shared some time with us,
2. 28th of October those that had died tragically, you can set a candle and a white flower,
3. 29th of October are those that drown,
4. 30th, a candle and a glass of water to those forgotten souls,
5. 31st children that got lost in the limb without baptism or that never were born,
6. 1st of November to the child that dies during their childhood,
7. 2nd of November to all that had died during their adulthood or all the souls.

There are many things to do on the last days of October until the three of November (here you pick all or eat what is usable for eating right). Halloween is one of them, go to some parties with friends, but the most important is the Ofrendas.

The ofrendas set on the most important places you can see some of them in museums or maybe at some public places, museums schools or perhaps a place where you will buy some items.

We have learned from childhood that we have to honor our family and they will come in those days to follow the path they used to walk, even in schools we establish some ofrendas of essential people making contest on schools or other places.

Many elements make so beautiful the Ofrenda some set more, but the most important:

Cempasúchil flower/Marigold flower
Levels of the Ofrenda could be seven, or it depends on how much you are going to set
Candles
Water
Salt
Food (must important what our family members like more).
Papel Picado/Peeker paper
Road of Cempasúchil petals
Pan de Muerto.

Mixquic

Day of the Dead is a celebration that has to be preserved and shared with the world; even if you are not Mexican is a Tradition that we are proud to share with others. Now with the different movies that have introduced the celebration, many can have their ofrendas in their homes.