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Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: November 1st....
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: November 1st....: Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: November 1st. Day all Souls Day as known as El Dia... : The Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, is a f...
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: November 1st. Day all Souls Day as known as El Dia...
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: November 1st. Day all Souls Day as known as El Dia...: The Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, is a festival celebrating the reunion of dead relatives with their families, November 1st and 2nd....
November 1st. Day all Souls Day as known as El Dia de Todos Los Santos.
The Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, is a festival celebrating the reunion of dead relatives with their families, November 1st and 2nd.
Every year, on November 1st (All Saints Day) and 2nd (All Souls Day), something unique takes place in many areas of Mexico: Day of the Dead festivities.
In Spanish, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are known as El Dia de Todos los Santos and El Dia de los Muertos, respectively. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (Purepecha, Nahua, Totonac and Otomi) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they were living.
Tempered somewhat by the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century, current practice calls for the deceased children (little angels) to be remembered on the previous day (November 1st, All Saints Day) with toys and colorful balloons adorning their graves. And the next day, All Souls Day, adults who have died are honored with displays of the departed's favorite food and drinks, as well as ornamental and personal belongings. Flowers, particularly the zempasuchil (an Indian word for a special type of marigold) and candles, which are placed on the graves, are supposed to guide the spirits home to their loved ones.
Every year, on November 1st (All Saints Day) and 2nd (All Souls Day), something unique takes place in many areas of Mexico: Day of the Dead festivities.
In Spanish, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are known as El Dia de Todos los Santos and El Dia de los Muertos, respectively. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (Purepecha, Nahua, Totonac and Otomi) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they were living.
Tempered somewhat by the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century, current practice calls for the deceased children (little angels) to be remembered on the previous day (November 1st, All Saints Day) with toys and colorful balloons adorning their graves. And the next day, All Souls Day, adults who have died are honored with displays of the departed's favorite food and drinks, as well as ornamental and personal belongings. Flowers, particularly the zempasuchil (an Indian word for a special type of marigold) and candles, which are placed on the graves, are supposed to guide the spirits home to their loved ones.
Other symbols include the elaborately-decorated pan de muerto (a rich coffee cake decorated with meringues made to look like bones), skull-shaped candies and sweets, marizpan death figures and papier macheskeletons and skulls. (the Nahua speaking peoples of pre-columbian Mexico saw the skull as a symbol of life - not death.) Today, these macabre symbols and other similar items fill the shops and candy stalls by mid October. During this time, homes are often decorated in the same manner as the graves.
This may all seem morbid and somewhat ghoulish to those who are not part of that culture. But, for Mexicans who believe in the life/death/rebirth continuum, it's all very natural. this is not to say that they treat death lightly. They don't. It's just that they recognize it, mock it, even defy it. Death is part of life and, as such, it's representative of the Mexican spirit and tradition which says: "Don't take anything lying down - even death!"
First the graves and altars are prepared by the entire family, whose members bring the departed's favorite food and drink. Candles are lit, the ancient incense copal is burned, prayers and chants for the dead are intoned and then drinks and food are consumed in a party/picnic-like atmosphere. At 6:00 pm, the bells begin to ring (every 30 seconds), summoning the dead. They ring throughout the night. At sunrise, the ringing stops and those relatives who have kept the night-long vigil, go home.
First the graves and altars are prepared by the entire family, whose members bring the departed's favorite food and drink. Candles are lit, the ancient incense copal is burned, prayers and chants for the dead are intoned and then drinks and food are consumed in a party/picnic-like atmosphere. At 6:00 pm, the bells begin to ring (every 30 seconds), summoning the dead. They ring throughout the night. At sunrise, the ringing stops and those relatives who have kept the night-long vigil, go home.
The most vivid and moving Day of the Dead celebrations take place on ths island of Janitzio in Lago de Patzcuaro. Here, at the crack of dawn (on November 1st) the Purepechan Indians get the festivities going with a ceremonial duck hunt. At midnight, the cooked duck and other zesty edibles are brought to the cemetery in the flickering light of thousands of candles. Those visitors who come are in for an awesome spectacle as the women pray and the men chant throughout the chilly night. Other candle-lit ceremonies take place in the nearby towns of Tzintzuntzan (the ancient capital of the Purepechan people), Jarauaro and Erongaricuaro. If you're thinking of witnessing this annual spectacle next year, it's best to make reservations right now since available hotels do fill up quickly.
Editor's Note - Most of the nation celebrates El Dia de los Muertos, but here's a list of Mexican cities & villages which are well-known for their observance of the celebrations; Oaxaca, Patzcuaro (Michaocan), Huejutla (State of Hidalgo), Chiapa de Corzo (Chiapas), Jesus Maria (Nayarit), Mixquic (Federal District) and even Tecate (Baja California). • Story compiled and written by Marvin H. Perton
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Hecho de Mano will be sharing beautiful stories ab...
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Hecho de Mano will be sharing beautiful stories ab...: What is Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead? Día de los Muertos is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. The celebration...
Hecho de Mano will be sharing beautiful stories about the Day of Death for our friends, customers and family. We also thanks all the ones who are taking the time in writing an reading about this special celebration.
What is Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead? Día de los Muertos is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with All Soul's Day. Unlike Halloween, which is characterized by goblins, witches, and the occult, Day of the Dead, was initially celebrated by the Aztecs to honor the memory of the dead. This 3,000-year-old Aztec ritual fell on the ninth month of the Aztec Solar Calendar, which is the beginning of August and celebrated for a whole month. The "Lady of the Dead" or goddess Mictecacihuatl died at birth, but believed it was her spirit who officiated the celebration.
Growing up along the border in El Paso, Texas, a small town separating the United States and Mexico, we grew up with the Mexican and American cultures intertwined. As kids we traveled in and out of two worlds daily. The moment we left our casitas to go to school, we entered an American world but at home we had our own language, cultures, and traditions. In the meantime, some of our Mexican culture was watered down or lost in translation. As a mother of two beautiful children, my hope is to keep some of the Mexican traditions alive, but it's taken some education on my part to consciously understand the differences.
Halloween and Día de Los Muertos is a huge example of how our two worlds melted together, however, these two holidays are quite different.
My grandmother, Maria Jesusita emigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico at a young age. She tried to assimilate to her new country and did not always celebrate the old customs. As a result, this is not a holiday I celebrated. I heard about it, but never took part. At the beginning of October, while working on a fall recipe, I stumbled upon an article about Día de los Muertos and realized instantly that this was the perfect way to honor our grandmother. She was the matriarch of our family and now that she has passed on I want to honor her on Día de los Muertos.
The kitchen is where my grandmother spent countless hours preparing meals to feed her family and where she spent just as much time sipping coffee and praying the rosary. If she wasn't at church or cooking, she was nourishing her soul with long prayers to heal her family or strengthen the weak.
Although my sister and I live in two different states, she in Colorado and I in California, we have agreed to introduce this holiday and tradition to our respective husbands and children. No year like the present to begin anew. We are both thrilled to educate our children about traditions that are part of our culture.
This is my first attempt at celebrating Día de los Muertos, so I will start small. I will create a temporary altar in a small corner of my dining room. According to tradition, an altar usually has candles, photographs of the deceased, flowers (usually marigolds), drinks and food. The belief is that visiting souls may be hungry from their long journey and the food and drink is nourishment for their journey back. This day is filled with eating, drinking, and telling stories of those being honored. I hope to retell memories of our grandmother to our children and reminisce in the times we shared with her. My hope is to keep the memory of her alive for both my children and me.
My sister Yvette — with the assistance of a florist, model, makeup artist, and professional photographer — created a breathtakingly beautiful altar. The altar here is filled with flowers, my grandmother's rolling pin, some of her favorite food, photographs of her, and the grandfather we never knew. The woman dressed as death, wearing my grandmother's veil and rosary, represents the return of her spirit. Some Native Americans believe that the wolf is a teacher and imparts a sense of family and loyalty. The wolf is an excellent representation of our love of family and loyalty to our grandmother.
Following is a simple plan if you want to take part in celebrating this holiday:
- Create an altar with lots of bright marigold flowers or flowers in season
- Place photographs of your deceased loved ones on an altar
- Prepare food and drink that remind you of them
- Place candles on the altar to be lit during your celebration
- Play their favorite music
- Retell stories of the deceased to those in attendance
Halloween has played a fun part in our families but now I am excited to introduce Día de los Muertos on November 2 to our families. It will be a beautiful way to honor our grandmother. The frightful visions we have of death shouldn't be so morbid, they can in fact be, pleasant and joyful.
"It's not death we should fear, but not having lived." Anonymous
Photography by Jeanine Thurston
Photography by Jeanine Thurston
Published or Updated on: November 2, 2010
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Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Traditional Ofrendas for the Altars will be availa...
Hecho De Mano Store Folk And Garden: Traditional Ofrendas for the Altars will be availa...: October 3rd to October 8th will be taking special orders, and showing have to build an altar. October October 10 to October 17 T shirt sa...
Traditional Ofrendas for the Altars will be available this October, unique candles, Marigolds, papel picado, sugar skulls, hand painted material banners, pan de muerto, sage and oils.
October 3rd to October 8th will be taking special orders, and showing have to build an altar.
October October 10 to October 17 T shirt sale, 20% Dia de Los Muertos T shirt Sale, unique designs.
October 19 to November 3rd showing the altars time to know how to build an altar, meaning and ideas, for your future altar.
We respect any artist art and we very careful showing there art, Day of the Death is a very spiritual celebration, we ask all our friends and customers to have the same respect, any art is going to show only at Hecho de Mano Store. 308 North First Ave. Arcadia, Ca. 91006,
For our wholesale customers please write at hechodemano@gmail.com so we can help in the best way possible or contact us at 626-827-3199 to make an appointment.
You can also check some of our items at hechodemanostore.com
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