The Magic of the Cities.

Zen promotes the rediscovery of the obvious, which is so often lost in its familiarity and simplicity. It sees the miraculous in the common and magic in our everyday surroundings. When we are not rushed, and our minds are unclouded by conceptualizations, a veil will sometimes drop, introducing the viewer to a world unseen since childhood. ~ John Greer

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Day of The Dead II






Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a National Holiday, and all banks are closed. The celebration takes place on November 1–2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world: In Brazil, Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.


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7 comments:

Giga said...

Co kraj , to obyczaj. Ze zdjęć widać, że to nie jest smutne święto. Pozdrawiam

Sensaciones en Imagenes said...

Una serie llena de color, me gusta, especialmente la penúltima.
Un abrazo.

Bergson said...

Magnificent portraits.
The first is very strange

Kate said...

As a child I was expected to honour November 1st and 2nd by attending church services for our deceased friends and relatives, but that Catholic tradition seems to have weakened. The closest national holiday we have to Día de los Muertos is Memorial Day when traditionally visits are made to graveyards to decorate the gravesites, but cemeteries are limiting this as a way to streamline upkeep. This, too, is becoming a thing of the past. Love the last photo.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Such strange and interesting images Carraol, thank you so much for explaining it, this is one of the most enjoyable things about blogging, finding out about different customs all over the world.

Luis Gomez said...

Maravillosas Carraol!

RedPat said...

I remember always going to mass on Nov 1 but that tradition seems to have waned here. I love your shots!