¡Día de los muertos!

¡Día de los muertos!

The Day of the Dead. 2 November

Objectives

• Familiarize yourself with Día de los Muertos

• Familiarize yourself with the celebrations in Mexico, the U.S., Central America, and South America

• Locate Mexico, the U.S., Guatemala, and Ecuador on a map

Vocabulario para celebrar

• las calaveras - skulls

• el cementerio - cemetery

• los difuntos - deceased

• el esqueleto - skeleton

• el pan de muertos - special bread made for Día de los Muertos

• el papel picado - paper cutouts

• los santos - saints

Día de los Muertos

On Día de los Muertos families visit the cemeteries and gravesites of their loved ones. They clean the sites and leave flowers and candles and, in many countries, they bring entire meals with special drinks and traditional breads to share with the deceased. Displays are set up next to the gravesite that include flowers, hand-crafted skeletons, colorful paper cutouts, candy skulls, personal items, and photos. Family members pass the night sharing food and conversation as they keep vigil for their ancestors.

Día de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated November 2nd. The tradition originated in Mexico although it is marked throughout Latin America with each country celebrating different customs.

Multiple Choice

When is Día de Muertos celebrated?

• October 31

• December 25

• November 2

• July 4

Multiple Select

Where is Día de los Muertos celebrated? Check all the correct answers.

• Central America

• South America

• United States

• Mexico

Pan de Muertos

Bread for Day of the Dead. This bread is made for Día de los Muertos. In Ecuador, these breads are called guaguas de pan. Guagua is the Quechua word for "baby" and refers to the bread's shape. Not every country makes Guagua's. Every country has their own traditional bread they enjoy making for Día de los Muertos.

Multiple Choice

What is pan de muertos?

• skulls

• cemetery

• skeletons

• special bread made for Día de los Muertos

Papel Picado

Paper cutouts - these tissue paper cutouts are a common holiday decoration. To celebrate Día de los Muertos, the cutouts form images of skeletons.

Watch this video where Catalina Delgado Trunk provides information on the history of papel picado, where it originated, and how it is made.

Multiple Choice

What is papel picado?

• saints

• special bread made for Día de los Muertos

• skeletons

• paper cutouts

Los Barriletes

Guatemalans celebrate by flying barriletes, or colorful kites, to which they attach messages for the deceased. The town of Santiago Sacatepéquez celebrates with a barrilete contest.

Multiple Choice

Los barriletes are...

• skulls

• skeletons

• colorful kites

• saints

La Ofrenda

The ofrenda is often the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they need on their journey. They place down pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives.

Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth, and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel picado, or traditional paper banners, represent the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way.

Multiple Choice

What is an ofrenda?

• a sugar skull

• an altar

• a church

• a skeleton

How to build the ofrenda

• Pictures

• Favorite foods of the deceased

• Sugar skulls

• Papel picado

• Flowers

• Water

• Candles

Multiple Select

Check all the necessary items that you would place on an ofrenda.

• papel picado

• pan de muertos

• pictures

• sugar skulls

• candles

Does your family or community have a special day or specific traditions to remember the deceased?

How would you compare the celebrations of Halloween to Día de los Muertos?