DEATH
IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
The word ‘death’ is not pronounced in New
York, in Paris, in London,
because it burns the lips...The Mexican, in contrast, is familiar
with death,
jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it;
it is one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love.
- Octavio Paz -
3 faces (phases) of a human life according to
the Maya's
Youth
Elderly
Death
To be able to understand this better, one has to look
at the meaning of death
in the many of the Pre-Columbian cultures, where death wasn't
the end,
only the beginning of a new cycle.
History
Not much is known about the traditions of the ancient cultures.
But we do know that most of them had special days or months to
celebrate death. What we do know is that the Aztecs traditionally
celebrated their dead for two months.
From July 23 till August 11 they celebrated the Small Feast of
the Dead. This was in the ninth month [Tlaxochimaco or Offering
of Flowers] of the Aztec calendar.
During this month all gods and ancestors were worshipped and the
dead were honored.
On two days people would go outside the city to pick wild flowers.
Thougout the month there were performances of ritual dances.
Huitzilopochtli was honored with sacrifices and feasts consisting
of turkey and maize cakes for in one of his guises he was known
as the "Jeweled Turkey" and as such indicated the prophesy
of the year's events.
This month might also have been called Miccailhuitl.
Then in the tenth month Xocotlhuetzi or Fall of the Xocotl (citrus)
Fruit (from August 12 till Aug 31) the Aztec celebrated the Great
Feast of the Dead.
During this month the gods Yacatecuhtli, Xiuhtecutli and Xocotl
were worshipped.
Xiuhtecuhtli (Lord Turquoise) was the old fire god and god of
the years, who resided in the first of the thirteen heavens. To
honour him many were sacrificed in great fire ceremonies.
One of the major events in this month must have been the selection
and felling of a tall tree that was brought to Tenochtitlan with
great ceremony. This tree was publicly groomed and adorned.
This month was also known as Huey Miccailhuitl.
Days of
the Dead
It all starts when the Monarch butterflies return to Mexico
to spend the summer. This is the first sign that the souls of
the deceased are on their way home. What used to be a two month
of celebration is now brought back to a couple of days of celebration.
On the 28th of October bread and water is offered to the souls
of those who no longer have living relatives on the Earth.
On the 29th of October people will go into the churches to offer
bread and water to the souls of those who have commited crimes
and who are not welcome in peoples homes.
On the 31th of October it's time for "los angelitos"
or little angles to return home.
On the 1st of November the souls of the adults return home.
On the 2nd of November it's time to say goodbye. This is usually
the day that everybody gathers on the cemeteries, with picknic
baskets, flowers, candles etc.
Altar
de muertos
Ofrendas
Central point in the celebrations are the so-called "altars
de muertos". These altars are created in homes and or on
cemeteries on which the family places the so-called "ofrendas"
or offerings: items intended to draw the dead and ease their journey
homeward.
For example items the soul needs to freshen up: a bowl of water,
a towel a mirror and a comb. The deceased's favorite dishes are
prepared and there's plenty of water to quench the thirst. A photograph
of the deceased who is honoured is placed on the altar. For the
children ofrendas can consist of: toys, iced sugar skulls called
"calaveras de azucar", "pan de muertos" (dead
bread) For the adults water is often acompanied by alcholic beverages
such as pulque, atole or tequila as a reminder of the good times
spent on earth.
Papel picado
The altar is further decorated with cut-out paper with whimsical
skeletons, flowers and birds designs. The use of papel picado
is derived from the Aztec practice of using (amatl) paper banners
in connection with important religious rituals. Common colors
selected for the altar de muertos --purple to symbolize pain and
mourning and hot pink or bright orange to signify the joyful return
of the departed.
Candles
As aspects of light and hope are placed on the altars, sometimes
four candles placed in the form of a cross to symbolise the four
cardinal points.
Copal
A small ceramic brazier placed on the altar is used for burning
copal, a pine resin incense the Aztecs used long ago in offerings
to their gods. The pungent odor is believed to attract the souls
of the dead, as well as to ward off evil spirits.
Yellow Marigolds
This yellow marigold was known in Nahuatl as "cempoalxóchitl"
or flower of 400 lives and is still the most used flower in the
celebrations of the Days of the Dead. In some Mexican villages
like Escolín (Totonac), Míxquic (Náhuatl/Aztec),
Oxcutzcab (Maya), Taxhuandé (Otomí) y Pátzcuaro
(Purépeche) families guide the spirits by leaving a path
of petals from the marigold that will lead to their houses. This
is how we still know what the flower was called in some ancient
dialects/languages: apátsicua (Purépeche), caxyhuitz
(Huastec), cempoalxóchitl (Náhuatl/Aztec), chant
(Tepehua), expujuj (Maya), guie’ bigua’ (Zapotec), ita-cuaan
(Mixtec), kalhpu’xa’m (Totonac), jondrí (Otomí),
majk’ py (Mixe), musajyó (Zoque), piid mbaj (Huave).
Resources:
http://www.lasculturas.com
http://www.azcentral.com
http://ww.geocities.com/SoHo/Square/1140/fest.html
Cempoalxóchitl
y Días de Muertos
Mexico
conjurs spirits with picturesque ofrendas
Image:
http://www.treasures-of-ancients.com/
Links:
José Guadalupe Posada: Father of La Catrina
Festival
for departed souls begins with food
(has got a lot of recipes
in a seperate window)
Celebrating
the Days of the Dead:
the heart speaks clearly in Michoacan
Tales from the days of the dead
Exhibition:
October 13 - December 5, 2004
Iluminaciones: Days of the Dead Indigenous and Colonial Expressions
(the Oakland Museum of California)
