Day of the Dead is having a cultural moment.
But where did it come from and what does it all mean?
Read on, future-calacas.
What is Day of the Dead?
(But hell probably be invisible.)
Day of the Dead isnt about creepy, haunting specters and the macabre.
Its more life-(and death-) affirming than that.
Where did Day of the Dead come from?
The ancient origins of this holiday are a bit murky.
Some maintain that Day of the Dead practices are directly descended from the Aztec empire in Central Mexico.
How is Day of the Dead celebrated?
These are usually colorful skulls with wide-smiles, not creepy, Halloween-y skulls.
Much of the modern look of Day of the Dead can be traced to the drawing above.
Catrina is a high society lady-skeleton rocking a French-style flowered hat and a wide grin.
But feel free to drink whatever you want; it’s what Aunt Rosy would have wanted.
In 2019, a huge altar was set up in honor of victims of the El Paso shooting.
In 2015sSpectre, Bond visits an (entirely fictional) Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City.
Is celebrating Day of the Dead cultural appropriation if youre not Hispanic?
It depends on who you ask.
Its probably a moot point, anyway: Its clearly happening, whether people like it or not.
Why is Day of the Dead growing in popularity?
Ultimately, though, I think Dia de Muertos catching on is about more than marketing and demographics.
I think many of us, no matter our ethnicity, need a new way to think about death.
Also: Skull and skeleton imagery is self-evidently, perpetually cool.
