Día de los Muertos: The day of remembrance and belief
I will remember you even when you are no longer around. Not miss, remember.
We often think what might happen to the world, to the people who live in here after we pass by. Will they remember it? The time, memories and love-hate relationships we shared? Will they even remember us or we will be just another random person who passed by their lives?
I don’t know if people will remember me or not but I believe that there will be at least someone who will think of me from time to time with a good memory we hold. I believe. Today, I want to talk about one such festival which celebrates the remembrance of our loved ones whom we have lost for-ever.
Día de los Muertos or translated as the “Day of the Dead”, is a Mexican festival celebrated in Mexico. It is also celebrated with the Catholic celebrations of ‘All Saints’ Day’ and ‘All Souls’ Day’. This multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and to remember friends and family members who have died. They believe that on this auspicious day our dear ones who have left us long ago travel to Earth to be by our side in order to share their warmth and love toward us.
On this day people go to the cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favourite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed. They offer pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and calaveras (colorful sugar skulls) alongside with Tamales, their traditional Mesoamerican dish on their altars believing that the souls might need them after their exhausting journey from the after world.
The festival is not just about remembrance, the deceased ones or the after world. The festival is all about belief. About them believing in the power of love and warmth they share with their loved ones who no longer live by their side.
As we are on this festival, the only movie that comes in my mind is Disney Pixar’s “Coco”. Where a 12-year-old Miguel gets accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family among the living and to reverse his family’s ban on music.
As the film’s main theme line is threaded around the festival “Día de los Muertos” or “the Day of the Dead” it beautifully captures the rituals, colors, essence and the warmth of the ancestors who come down by our sides for the day. And the song at the end “Remember me” sums up it all.
Isn’t it the perfect film to watch with the whole family to celebrate and remember the day?
The day of the remembrance. The day of warmth and love.
Thank You
Happy Reading :)
To know more about the festival click the link below: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/mexico/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico/
