This is a PowerPoint I created concerning the Mexican holiday of Dias de Los Muertos. I was fortunate enough to have visited Mexico during this event. This gives quite a bit of information about the customs associated with Dias de Los Muertos.

1. Dias de Los
Muertos
Days of the Dead
Nov.2 & Nov.3
Mexico City

2. Dias de los Muertos
• Days of the Dead festival in Mexico looks
scary but isn’t at all. During the first two
days of November, friends and family who
have died are remembered with
happiness. Celebrations take place all
over Mexico.
• There are parades, parties, fireworks, and
displays. Everyone comes out to celebrate
and visit the cemetaries.

3. Ofrendas
• Ofrenda means “offering” in Spanish.
• Ofrendas are an essential part of
Day of the Dead celebrations in
Mexico. The ofrendas are altars or
shrines that are set up to honor the
memory and remember those in the
family that have died. Each classroom
prepares an ofrenda in a school, but
ofrendas can be very big or very
small.

4. Ofrenda in SchoolClassroom

5. First the ofrenda is covered with a
white tablecloth and then “papel
picado”, tissue paper into which
images of Days of the Dead are cut, is
placed over the cloth.
Sometimes ofrendas are organized by
levels with the highest level displaying
images of the saints and a crucifix or
cross at the top.

8. Food and Flowers
The marigold is the traditional flower of the
ofrenda and sometimes petals are laid on the
floor to lead the way of the spirits to the altar.
Food is specially prepared for the souls. Their
preferred dishes are cooked and placed on the
altar: mole, fruits, arroz rojo -red rice-, hot
chocolate and dried fruit. And of course Pan de
Muerto-bread of the dead. The spirits will enjoy
the aroma of the food, but not eat it of course.

12. Necessary to an Ofrenda
• Candles are placed out for each relative
that is being remembered. The light is
thought to guide the ancestors back.
• Incense ( copal) is burned.
• Photographs of those who have died are
displayed. Sometimes a piece of clothing
or favorite item symbolizing their interests
are laid out also.
• Specially prepared foods

15. The Calaveras
• A common symbol of the holiday is the
skull (commonly called calavera). This
symbol is represented in large paper
mache sculptures, called calacas
(colloquial term for "skeleton") and foods
such as sugar skulls, which are inscribed
with the name of the recipient on the
forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can
be given to both the living and the dead.
They are very sweet to eat.

20. Katrina
• Katrina skeleton is one of the most recognized
images representing Days of the Dead.
• La Katrina is a popular name symbolizing death
and the marigold is her flor de muerto, the
"death flower“, but actually this flower celebrates
life. Lady Death is often shown with a flower in
her Victorian hat and an old fashioned vintage
dress.

23. The Zocalo
• Zocalo means ‘pedestal” or “base”. The
term zocalo is applied to the main plazas
of most Mexican cities. Mexico City’s
Zocalo is used for government rallies,
protests, and festive events. The following
pictures were taken at the Zocalo during
Days of the Dead. Each state was
represented by a display relating to Dia de
Los Muertos.

34. • The next pictures are of huge paper
mache skeletons representing wrestlers.
These were also taken at the Zocalo.
• There was an actual fire truck on display
with it’s ladder extended. This was
manned by life size skeletons.
• A city bus is also shown with it’s skeleton
bus driver.

38. Frida Kahlo
• These photos were taken at Frida Kahlo’s home,
Blue House, in Coyoacan. They truly show the
beauty of the typical colors of Mexican houses.
• Kahlo is a very well known Mexican artist. Her
home is filled with giant paper mache skeletons,
retablos ( small religious paintings on tin), early
sketches, diary entries, tiny outfits, and her
wheelchair sitting next to her easel.

43. National AutonomousUniversity of Mexico-UNAM
Day of the Dead Festival
• In the evening of Nov. 2 the university
presented a huge display of scenes using
skeletons. Each department was
responsible for a Days of the Dead
display. It was held in a large grassy area
about the size of a football field. There
were at least a thousand people at this
festival. The following are just a few
pictures representing this impressive
event.

49. Paradeat Night

50. If you have a chance to visit
Mexico during this festival….don’t
hesitate!
Esta muchas buenas!