Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
¶ … Spanish holiday Dia de los Muertos. Specifically it will discuss countries that celebrate the holiday, how it is celebrated, traditions, and any other pertinent information. Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an ancient Aztec traditional celebration that has taken place for thousands of years. They were already celebrating the holiday when the Spanish Conquistadors conquered the country. The Spanish did not approve of the holiday and tried to stop it, but it continues even today throughout Mexico, some other areas in Central America, and much of the United States. The Spanish did end up moving the holiday. Initially, Mexicans celebrated it in August, and it lasted an entire month. The Spanish moved it to October 31 to coincide with Catholic holidays on November 1 and 2. It is a holiday to celebrate those friends and family who have passed away, a kind of celebration of the dead. Mexicans believe their ancestors come to visit with them on October 31, and go back to heaven on November 2 (Miller).
The holiday is celebrated from October...
There are many traditions that surround the holiday, including specific foods, the making of altars, and other rituals. A reporter notes, "Today, people don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives. The wooden skulls are also placed on altars that are dedicated to the dead" (Miller). In many areas, especially rural areas of Mexico, families spend the day in the cemetery, remembering their loved ones and eating their relatives' favorite foods in their honor. They also dance and sing songs for their missing relatives. Along with that, they bring tools to maintain the graves of their ancestors. They weed the graves and rake them to tidy them, and then they sit on blankets and have a picnic. Another writer notes, "The Aztecs believed in an afterlife where the spirits of their dead would return as hummingbirds and butterflies. Even images carved in the ancient Aztec monuments show this belief - the linking the spirits of the dead and the Monarch butterfly" (Editors). They believe that death is not…
References
Editors. Los Dias de los Muertos. Holidays.net. 2009. 29 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.holidays.net/halloween/muertos.htm>.
Hernandez, Aracely. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Northern Illinois University. 2002. 29 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html>.
The theme of the Day of the Dead is impassioned living. The Day of the Dead is a time during which life is celebrated. Ceremonies know no boundaries between rich and poor; in fact, the Day of the Dead creates a flat social structure in the community if just for the two days. Persons in power such as the mayor of the town march alongside farmers. People and families
Catholic missionaries readily drew parallels between the Dia de los Muertos and the Catholic holiday All Saints Day. The synthesis of All Saints Day with Dia de los Muertos allowed the native population of Mexico and their descendants to continue practicing their ancestral traditions. The Dia de los Muertos has widespread popular culture appeal because of the amusing, colorful imagery of skulls and skeletons. Tourists to Mexico enjoy participating in
They go to the gravestones and adorn them with colorful flowers, art, and letters. They have lavish festivals in honor of those who have gone on before them. Ireland has many traditions and everything there moves at a pace that's much slower than Americans expect. Many of the people in that country have very little to call their own but yet they are surprisingly happy. There are always cruel people
Mexico: Religion and Civilization From Ancient Times to Present Mexico is a nation that is affluent in history, culture and tradition. Being the third biggest nation in Latin America, Mexico has more Spanish speakers compared to any other country in the globe. Regardless of the social and political transformations that have taken place in the course of the centuries, proof of past cultures and events are perceptible everywhere in Mexico. For
For example, according to Miller (2009) [secondary]"Today, people don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives. The wooden skulls are also placed on altars that are dedicated to the dead. Sugar skulls, made with the names of the dead person on the forehead, are eaten by a relative or friend." Other important customs and traditions in Mexico are related to family. The Mexican people
LARRY PURNELL'S MODEL FOR CULTURAL COMPETENCE It is true that sociologists and anthropologists have many definitions of culture. Purnell defines it as totality of behaviors, arts, custom, ways of life, beliefs, and values that are transmitted from one society to another. He looks at it as the product of human work that is believed to guide the way people view the world and how they make decisions. These patterns may be