As autumn leaves begin to fall and daylight shrinks, a profound cultural celebration emerges in Southern California: Día de Muertos. This vibrant holiday, steeped in tradition, honors those who have passed away, inviting their spirits back for a joyful reunion with the living. The rich tapestry of this celebration intertwines indigenous practices with Catholic customs, creating a unique observance that resonates deeply within the community.
The essence of Día de Muertos lies in its festive acknowledgment of death, contrasting sharply with the often somber attitudes toward mortality prevalent in many parts of the world. Families gather to create altars, or ofrendas, adorned with photographs, favorite foods, and mementos of their beloved departed. This act of remembrance transforms grief into celebration, allowing loved ones to connect across realms.
As we prepare to delve into the significance of this holiday, its historical roots, and practical tips for creating your own ofrenda, we invite you to explore the beauty of Día de Muertos. Join us in honoring the cycles of life and death, and discover how this tradition fosters a deeper connection with our ancestors while promoting collective healing.
How to Make an Ofrenda
You can build an altar in your home to a relative, a friend, a person who was meaningful to you — even if you didn’t know them personally, such as an author or celebrity — or build ones that are remembrances to groups of people. Last year, altars were built for victims of COVID-19. Alcaraz said he expects to see more of those this year.
The altar is the portal from which the person crosses back into the world of the living, said Aldo Cruz, an altarista (altar designer and teacher) who’s worked with the Hollywood Forever event since 2006 and first learned about altar-building watching his mother in his childhood home in Oaxaca. (The interview with Cruz was conducted in Spanish and translated to English by Karen Garcia.) Different regions and families may decorate them in different ways. This is something you are doing in your own space and your own home, so there really isn’t a “wrong” way to build your altar, but there are elements you should keep in mind and try to incorporate.
Time and space. Building the altar should be a festive family occasion, Cruz said: “When we make the altars, we often do it together, so it’s a happy time when we design the altar together and remember our loved ones — it brings us together.” It doesn’t have to be in a specific spot in your house, and your ofrenda doesn’t need its own dedicated table. A corner of a table or shelf works.
The elements. You want to represent what Cruz called “life’s elements: water, wind, fire and earth.” For water, that can be a cup of water to quench the spirits’ thirst after their journey, or sometimes the deceased’s favorite drink. Wind can be represented by papel picado, a colorful cutout paper banner that moves in the breeze. A candle represents fire and also illuminates the path that guides the souls to the altar. Earth is represented by fruits, dirt and flowers — specifically cempasúchiles, or marigolds. They’re considered “the flower of the dead” because once the blooms are cut, they quickly die — a metaphor for the journey from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead, Jimenez said. Copal (incense) represents the transformation from the physical to the supernatural.
Some other items to consider, though not all altars have them:
- Cruz incorporates an arch shape somewhere, to create a physical portal for the souls to enter our world. In some regions of Mexico, he said, altars have multiple levels or steps, though where he’s from in Oaxaca they’re one platform.
- Some altars have a small dish or bowl of salt, which can symbolize divine protection in Catholicism and was used traditionally to preserve the body as it made the journey from life to death.
- Some people like to incorporate more religious elements, including crucifixes.
- In parts of Mexico, sugar skulls are used to introduce children to the holiday and to the idea that death and dead people can be celebratory instead of frightening.
Memorial items. Place photos of the person or people you want to remember and be visited by. You should also have a few of their favorite things waiting for them. Did the deceased love the Dodgers? Morrissey? Lotto Scratchers? Have some mementos waiting. Toys are traditionally placed on ofrendas for children.
Food and drink. Día de Muertos is about your loved one coming back to share a meal with you, so prepare a feast. Pan de muerto is traditional. But it can be anything edible. And the food and drinks are for the living, so make something you’ll want to eat as you celebrate. Alcaraz said he brings coffee and Winchell’s doughnuts to the graves of his mom and aunt every year.
Who Can Participate?
You don’t have to be from Mexico or have any Mexican heritage to build an altar or celebrate Día de Muertos, Alcaraz said. It’s a holiday about love and celebration and honor, so if you participate in that spirit, you’re doing it right. He compared it to food websites that act like no one’s ever thought to combine mango and chile powder before or would suggest putting peas in guacamole.
It’s cool to like other people’s culture. Just don’t act like you invented it and start explaining certain cultures, explaining to me about how you do Day of the Dead so much better than that,” Alcaraz said. “Don’t pretend that you invented it; don’t pretend that you do it better than anybody. Try not to wear Día de los Muertos as a costume. ... It’s really about remembering how great that person was, what would make that person happy. And that makes you happy. It gives you a connection, a warm connection to that person so they’re not forgotten.”
Focus on your loved one — and on the rare opportunity you have to spend time with them again. In a year marked by grief and isolation, Día de Muertos can be a chance to process and remember.
While you celebrate, remember that it’s a time to reflect and connect, not just an event to be marked on a calendar. This holiday invites all who wish to honor their loved ones, regardless of background, to join in the joy and remembrance of those who have passed.
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