![]() ![]() ![]() It is more of a cultural holiday than a religious one. There is nothing as beautiful as a big, fancy, unusual sugar skull!Īlthough it is a holiday from far away in southern Mexico, it's a holiday one can personalize and integrate into their own religious and cultural beliefs. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place. ![]() Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. ![]() Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church. Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. To learn more about the Armory, please click HERE. This Day of the Dead fact sheet is courtesy of The Armory Center for the Arts. The festival that developed into the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August and was celebrated for an entire month. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500 - 3,000 years. People celebrate in their homes, creating altars (called ofrendas in Spanish) that display portraits, favorite foods, and special possessions of their loved ones.Īltars are also decorated with candles and marigolds - the light of the candle and scent of the flowers are said to attract the souls of the deceased and draw them back for a short time to take part in the pleasures they once enjoyed in life. In cemeteries throughout Mexico, where many families keep a night-long vigil by their loved ones' graves, community feasting, music, and storytelling is common.įamilies visit graves of their loves ones, clean the headstones, decorate them with flowers, candles, and bring food and music. Death is not to be feared, but is a natural part of life.Ĭommunity is an integral part of Mexican life, and most families come together to remember their loved ones and participate in the preparations for reunion. The focus is on celebrating with family and friends - alive and dead. People shudder at the thought of scary spirits threatening the living world.ĭay of the Dead is not a sad or scary occasion, but a spirited holiday when people remember and honor family members, friends, and even pets who have died. Halloween's images of skeletons and spirits emphasize the spooky, gruesome, and macabre. This holiday is celebrated by people in Mexico, parts of Central and South America, and increasingly throughout the United States. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a festival celebration that starts November 1st. ![]()
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