November 7th, 2022
Hello Readers!
A very important has passed in the Mexican culture known as “Día de los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead”, which was on November 1st. I come from a Latin American background, so this holiday is important for me, but being on the other side of the world separates me a little from the traditions that are normally done, that is until I found out Casa de México or “House of Mexico” celebrates it and sets up exhibitions for the public to enjoy here in Madrid. If you’ve watched the movie “Coco” you have an idea about what this holiday is about, but I want to share with you more about this culture and about the beautiful exhibitions that I was able to see.
Firstly, the altar is one of, if not, the most important part of Día de los Muertos. On the altar, pictures of your loved ones, as well as their favorite items are placed on top, and it is believed that those who have passed away and are remembered on the altar will visit to enjoy the treats on the altar and see you. This year, in Casa de México, Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist was honored. The altar was lined with candied skulls, Mexican beers, Mexican food items and decorations. Front and center was the image of a wounded animal with the head being Frida Kahlo. At the very top of the altar a big picture of Kahlo was displayed. The altar was extremely colorful with papel picado (paper cutouts) and paper flowers.
Another part of Día de los Muertos are alebrijes. Alebrijes are spirit animals that accompany the deceased in the world that they pass onto when they die. Alebrijes are full of patterns and bright colors, and they vary in size. The exhibitions showed alebrijes, every single one catching your eye with its incredible design. Alebrijes are special because they are not ordinary animals, they are mythical creatures that do not exist in the human world.
Other exhibitions consisted of skeletons, miniature and full-size which is a common way that the deceased are portrayed on the day of the dead. These are called catrines and catrinas and they are usually dressed extravagantly with bright colors
This experience was very special to me, and I felt that I was actually able to experience this holiday even though I was so far away. I love how cities around the world are starting to honor other cultures and give the people in that community the opportunity to keep learning and exploring what the world has to offer. I hope you learned something new about Mexican culture and were able to enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Sincerely,
The Eternal Traveler