Cultures develop unique
means of coming to terms with death. Anthropologists have traced ancestor
worship and death rituals back to ancient Sumaria, Egypt, China, and Celtic
Europe. In Mexico Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations have developed to such an extent that
they are widely considered an integral part of Mexican identity. Día
de los Muertos traditions carry a
uniquely Mexican stamp, but in essence they are a fusion of pre-Columbian
rituals and European beliefs brought by the Spanish to Mesoamerica.
Día
de los Muertos is a folk tradition
reflecting the folkways and folklore of Mexico and the identity of its
people. As such, it is continually evolving and integrating newer
elements as it crosses borders or as newcomers cross over to adapt these
Mexican rituals into their lives. At the core Día de los Muertos traditions and rituals retain the primary mission
of honoring, remembering and celebrating the life of all those who have come
before us; as well as giving hope to our own inevitable mortality.
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