In México, los Días de los Muertos is a holiday rich in tradition. My sister Emily and I were studying in Oaxaca during fall semester of 1999 when we experienced it for ourselves, November 1st and 2nd. One of the most vivid memories I have from those two days were at dusk in la Ciudad de Oaxaca. Thousands of candles were flickering throughout the Zócalo, and there was color everywhere … sand sculptures formed the most vibrant skeletons you have ever seen, with a border of bright orange marigolds. It was the kind of experience that made me realize, I can only be here, in Oaxaca.
Retrato del Muerto by Adam R. Dickerson, (c) 2007
For over the past 2,000 years, the Aztec people of this area had been celebrating and honoring their dead. With the arrival of the Spanish early in the 16th century, these ancient traditions became blended with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day to become what we now know as los Días de los Muertos. Continue reading
