El Dia De Los Muertos: The Day Of The Dead

Words: 677
Pages: 3

According to Brandes in “Sugar, colonialism, and death: On the origins of mexico's day of the dead” the Day of the Dead or El Día de los Muertos is a well known holiday in Mexico, typically celebrated at the end of October and beginning of November. “Mexicans clean, decorate, and maintain vigil over the graves of relatives. Tombstone and burial sites are [...] aesthetically arranged in honor of the deceased” (Brandes, 1997, p. 270). The Day of the Dead is a good representation of how the Mexican culture views death and in this case celebrates it. Mexicans have a distinct views and ideas towards death, they “...not only fail to distinguish life from death but also embrace [it, which]... has become a mark of national identity” (Brandes, 1997, p. 273). Death to the Mexican culture is a natural part of life; it is an unavoidable phenomenon and thus Mexican’s …show more content…
270). Many believe “... that Mexicans actually like death, or at least live easily in its presence, while Europeans… do not” (Brandes, 2003, p. 129). Europeans and Anglo-Saxons are one of the few who have an obsession with mortality and have an even greater fear of death (Brandes, 2003, p. 132). This is what makes the Mexican perspective of death and their celebrations of El Día de los Muertos very unique and incomprehensible for some. In conclusion, the Mexican perspective of death can be witnessed first hand through their celebration known as El Día de los Muertos. These celebrations are very distinct in the sense that Mexicans honor their deceased loved ones by placing offerings at their tombs and creating altars. Others celebrate death in a carnivalesque manner through picnics, music, and fireworks. In the eyes of the Mexican culture, death is a natural part of life and instead of fearing it they embrace it and celebrate