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Day of the Dead in Mexico

TB (summary) November 3, 2024 15:07

The festival is an occasion for families and friends to meet to pay respect and remember their deceased loved ones. Therefore, it is not tinged with mourning but has a joyful atmosphere of reunion.

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People participate in the "Day of the Dead" festival in Mexico

Hundreds of dancers in colorful folk costumes and faces made up to resemble corpses paraded down main avenues in Mexico City on November 2 to celebrate the Day of the Dead, one of the most important spiritual festivals in Mexico as well as several Latin American countries.

Starting from the ancient Chapultepec castle area, the dancers are escorted by giant human skeleton models, parading along Reforma Avenue for more than 5 km before stopping at the historic Reforma Square, creating a mysterious yet fascinating picture, attracting tens of thousands of people in the capital and tourists.

The parade is the centerpiece of Día de los Muertos, a holiday in which people across Mexico decorate their homes, streets and the graves of their loved ones with candles, colorful skull decorations and flowers, especially marigolds.

In addition, they also bring the deceased's favorite objects, food, and drinks to the grave and stay there overnight.

As a long holiday, this is an occasion for family and friends to meet to pay respect and remember loved ones who have passed away.

Mexican folklore believes that the deceased are still a member of the family and always exist in the memories of those left behind.

The time when the Day of the Dead takes place is the time when they return to their families, so "Day of the Dead" is not tinged with mourning but has a joyful atmosphere of reunion.

Since late October, many tourists have come to Mexico to attend the colorful “Día de los Muertos” festival, immersing themselves in artistic street performances.

Here, from paper toys and decorations to bread and candy in the shape of skulls, everything looks very... lively and cheerful, bringing a meaningful message that "Death is not really scary, but the beginning of a new life in another world".

Although Halloween (October 31) and Día de los Muertos (November 1 and 2) are two completely different events, the two festivals have recently merged, showing how Mexico adapts to foreign cultural elements without losing its own identity, and often adds its own distinctive Mexican stamp on those elements.

With the humanistic values ​​that this event brings, the festival "Día de los Muertos" was honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2003.

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Day of the Dead in Mexico