Showing posts with label Day of the Dead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day of the Dead. Show all posts

Oct 4, 2016

The Flowers of the Dead

El Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a national holiday in Mexico, celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November.  This commemorative holiday honors those who have died with beautifully colorful decorations of flowers, candles, altars, and more.
Day of the Dead Flowers Marigolds
Archway covered in marigolds

One year, I was able to experience Día de los Muertos in its place of origin.  I walked into the Panteón de Dolores (the largest cemetery in Mexico) and was blown away by the eerie beauty.  The cemetery had become a gorgeous, candlelit party ground, full of people singing, dancing, crying, and laughing--all emotions were represented; families shared food around their loved one's graves, mariachis played crowd favorites, and the air was filled with an energy of celebration.
Day of the Dead Celebration Flowers
Candlelit Panteón de Dolores
Dia de los Muertos Flowers
Día de Muertos Ofrenda
El Día de los Muertos is thousands of years old and has its roots in the pre-Hispanic ceremonies of indigenous Mexicans, most notably the Aztecs.  To them, death defined and illuminated life; they complement each other and just as death comes from life, so life comes from death.  This ancient custom of honoring of the dead has become a lasting tradition in Mexico, and is also celebrated in the U.S. as well as across the world.

In addition to celebrations in cemeteries, another big element of Día de Muertos is the construction and decoration of ofrendas, or altars.  Many people construct ritual altars in their homes and communities which are intended to welcome returning souls back to the land of the living for the day.  These altars are warm and welcoming, typically adorned with Zempasuchitl (marigolds), and covered with candles, photos, calaveras (sugar skulls), and the deceased's favorite foods.  

The Flowers of the Dead

Marigolds for Day of the Dead
Marigold
Oftentimes, Día de los Muertos is compared to Halloween, due to its proximity of date as well as the shared elements of decorating with images of skeletons, paying tribute to spirits, and celebrating death and the afterlife.  However, el Día de los Muertos is more of a celebration where friends and family gather to pray and remember those who have died, giving it more of a commemorative feel than Halloween.

It's this very spirit of commemoration which has made fresh cut flowers compulsory in the multitude of Día de Muertos decorations and ofrendas.  Zempasuchitl, aka marigolds, are the traditional flower of the dead and are the most-used flowers during this holiday.

Marigold Flowers Dia de los MuertosTo the Aztecs, the marigold was a sacred flower used in religious ceremonies and funerary rituals, which makes sense why they would continue to be used in all elements of Día de los Muertos. Elaborate arches, crosses, and garlands are created with the orange and yellow flowers and set upon altars and gravestones.

It is believed that marigold's bright colors and attractive scent guide dead souls back to their familial altars. In some communities, people build a path of marigolds from their homes to their loved one's tombstone, in order that the deceased may easily find their way back home again.

Día de Los Muertos at Home 

If you want to celebrate Day of the Dead this year, try creating a small ofrenda of your own, adorning it with flowers, photos, candles, or any other memorabilia you like.  Or, if prefer a simpler decorative commemoration, fill a few vases with marigold bouquets, and let the bright colors and lovely scent remind you that Día de los Muertos is, indeed, a celebration. 


Sun Valley Marigolds for Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead Bouquet from Sun Pac


Lady Aster Flower talk Day of the Dead


Oct 2, 2012

Learn about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

El Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a national holiday in Mexico. It's origins are found deep in the ancient ceremonies of indigenous Mexicans.  It is traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd.

Death has a unique persona in Mexico which is not found anywhere else in the world. In pre-Hispanic culture, death was just a further step in life itself.  A step which offered a security and serenity markedly contrasting that of the suffering and worries which afflict mankind in this world of hardships. Life and death complement each other. The ancient Mexicans believed that life issued from death just as death issued from life.

With the introduction of Catholicism, attention was no longer focused on Death itself, but rather on the dead and on the spirits. And so the Mexican people celebrate every November 2 on the return of their dear departed who, as ethereal souls, come back for one day to their burial place and the home where they lived.

In many homes a ritual altar is prepared to honor the returning souls. In Mexico, altars are often adorned with Zempasuchitl, a kind of marigold which is the traditional flower of the dead. In some arrangements gladiolus and lilies are used as well.

an Alter and a scene from a cemetary in Mexico
A traditional Day of the Dead alter, and a scene from a cemetery in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Day of the Dead is getting a lot more attention in the United States, not just because of the Hispanic population, but because it has a certain authenticity and quirkiness that appeals to people across all spectrums. In Europe, the Day of the Dead is a huge celebration with white flowers being used in celebrations and on alters. White mums, white lilies and white roses being used extensively. In the United States, orange and yellow lilies, as well as marigolds, gerbera and sunflowers are used for bouquets, altars and as gifts.

Tango Lilies are perfect for Day of the Dead
Our Tango Lilies are perfect for Dia de los Muertos.
There is also incense and a candle to light the way for each returning soul on the altar. Food is prepared, always the dish of which the dead was fondest of in life. A glass of water is set out with personal mementos and an image of the person.

For children, delightful toys, usually skeletons made of paper mache and wire are created for the Day of the Dead. These calaveras or skulls, and dancing skeletons are wonderfully amusing. All walks of life and occupations are depicted. There are even toy cardboard coffins from which a skeleton can be made to jump by pulling a string.

Today in Mexico, Day of the Dead is a custom that is rapidly changing. Although celebrated traditionally in rural Mexico, in the urban centers the Halloween influence of the United States is evident. It is important to remember that Dia de los Muertos is not Halloween for its' origin and rituals are different. It is from the ancient indigenous beliefs which held that Death defines life and that our deaths illuminate our lives.  

Various Calaca (low-fire clay figurines) with represent what a person (or pet) enjoyed in life. 
The altar (ofrenda, where "offerings" are placed) is central to observing the Day of the Dead and is maintained to ensure good relations between the family on earth and family in the after world. Whatever the deceased enjoyed in life is remembered in preparing the alter. Often a calaca is placed on the ofrenda representing what the person did, or enjoyed in life.  Photographs occupy the center, and names are spelled out with cloves on fruits and with pen on nuts. Religious images are placed on the alter in the hope that the saints thus venerated, will intercede for the protection of the soul on its' journey back to the after world. Decorations may also include a Tree of Death, tombstones, lyres, flowers, skulls and skeletons of all sizes and materials, copal and delicately formed hearts.

Altars can be an eight-course, multi-level feat with enough "soul foods" set out to provide the sustenance required for the visiting soul. These include dishes traditionally prepared for the Day of the Dead, such as chicken in red or black mole sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds; fruit, beans, tortillas, and tamales made from fresh hand-ground corn; soft drinks; and as always, a glass of water to refresh the travel-wearied souls. Altars honoring children include a small bowl of milk, special cakes called mamones, copal (incense), pieces of chocolate, little apples, miniature candlesticks and a profusion of toys and sweetmeats.

Once the honored guest has extracted the essence of the refreshments, the food is shared with family and friends, who have often traveled long distances to take part in the family's annual reunion.


Our 2012 Day of the Dead Bouquets
With this amazing history, we have a great opportunity to encourage flowers for Day of the Dead.  At a recent conference Danny Temkin of Temkin International spoke about the potential of Day of the Dead,

"This holiday is commonly compared to Halloween, and while they do share a few elements, el Dia de Los Muertos is more of a celebration where friends and family gather to pray and remember friends and family who have died. As a commemorative holiday, then, fresh cut flowers are compulsory in decorations and ofrendas (offerings to ancestors set up on altars, which include food, candles, photos, and, of course, a multitude of flowers)."

This holiday has been growing, not just among the Hispanic community, but among young, urban, multicultural and culturally aware segments of the market...and the time is now.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to Los Bagels, a multicultural cafe located in Arcata, California. The above infomation about Dia de los Muertos is used with their permission.  Please check out their website, www.losbagels.com to purchase Day of the Dead calacas, skulls, traditional dead bread (pan de muerto) and other Dia de los Muertos items.

Hasta la próxima floración,