Altar for Dia de los Muertos, with Alexandra

31 oktober 2011 - Villahermosa, Mexico

Alexandra in her school uniform next to our altar for Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead.

This is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Here in Mexico, it is a National Holiday. Tradition is to build altars (in your house or at the cemetery) honoring the deceased. People use sugar skulls, marigolds (typical kind of flowers), and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed.
The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). However, the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to the indigenous cultures. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations (e.g. Aztecs) perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years

Deze foto werd gemaakt op 31 oktober 2011 in Villahermosa, Mexico.