In what became known as Día de Muertos on November 2, the Latin American indigenous traditions and symbols to honor the dead fused with non-official Catholic practices and notions of an afterlife. Once the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in the 16 th century, the Catholic Church moved indigenous celebrations and rituals honoring the dead throughout the year to the Catholic dates commemorating All Saints Day and All Souls Day on November 1 and 2. Skulls, like the ones once placed on Aztec temples, remain a key symbol in a tradition that has continued for more than six centuries in the annual celebration to honor and commune with those who have passed on. The Aztecs used skulls to honor the dead a millennium before the Day of the Dead celebrations emerged. So they're now adopting this tradition and just owning it and I'll take that any day," Xoch said.The Day of the Dead or Día de Muertos is an ever-evolving holiday that traces its earliest roots to the Aztec people in what is now central Mexico. "Just in the last few weeks, a lot of my clients coming in for marigolds, who are mostly young Latinx women, told me this is the first time they are celebrating Día de los Muertos. Whereas growing up she saw many of her peers reject more indigenous aspects of Latino culture in an attempt to assimilate, now, she says, they are embracing it. But there is an upside, she said.īecause it's become part of mainstream culture, "It's become easier for young Latinx or brown people who are first or second generation to accept their heritage and be proud," Xoch said.
The cheerful hues also add to the celebratory nature of the holiday, which, although it's wrapped up in death, is not somber but festive.Īndi Xoch, founder and owner of Latinx With Plants in East Los Angeles, said the growing popularity of the holiday has made it "easier for young Latinx or brown people who are first or second generation to accept their heritage and be and be proud."Īndi Xoch, founder of Latinx With Plants in East Los Angeles, told NPR she is concerned about the commercialization and the borderline or sometimes outright cultural appropriation of what was once an indigenous holiday. The fragrance of the bright orange and yellow flowers is said to lead souls from their burial place to their family homes. The celebration involves the creation of an altar with offerings that include photos of the dead, candles, bottles of mezcal and tequila, and food, sugar skulls, and the cempasúchil - the Aztec name of the marigold flower native to Mexico.
That tradition was blended with the Roman Catholic observance of All Saints Day by the Spaniards when they conquered Mexico. It's deeply rooted in pre-Hispanic Aztec rituals tied to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, or the Lady of the Dead, who allowed spirits to travel back to earth to commune with family members. 2, stretches back centuries in Mexico and to a lesser extent a few other Latin American countries. The origins of Día de los Muertos, which begins on Nov. Deceased individuals are remembered with the placement of flowers and candles at their cemeteries. This image depicts how Día de los Muertos is observed and celebrated.
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