Image from the New York TImes
El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a day of celebration, particularly for the people in Mexico and Central America, and for many Mexican Americans in the United States. It is a day to honor and commemorate the lives of the dearly departed and to welcome the return of their spirits. Although many cultures see death as a cause for sadness rather than celebration, the cultures that observe el Día de los Muertos view death as a part of life.
The tradition of the Day of the Dead is rooted in Indigenous and Spanish Catholic ritual customs. Today, this celebration has been increasingly popular among Latinos in the United States. Though many of the traditional elements have remained, the way and where the Day of the Dead is celebrated has changed. However, the unity of life and death continues to be the dominant theme of the art, tradition, and rituals of the annual celebration of the Day of the Dead on Nov. 2, both in Mexico and the United States.
Excerpt from: National Museum of the American Latino
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