Culture: The Mexican Day of the Dead, El día de los muertos
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Culture: The Mexican Day of the Dead, El día de los muertos
Background information:
The Mexican custom of el día de los muertos, “the Day of the Dead”, may appear very similar
to the American and European custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally
starts at midnight on the night of 30 October each year and the festivities are abundant in
images related to death, ghosts, and haunting. But these customs have different origins, and
their attitudes toward death are different. In the typical Halloween festivities in Europe and
the USA death is something to be feared, but in el día de los muertos, death, or at least the
memories of those who have died, is something to be celebrated with colourful and cheerful
festivities.
El día de los muertos, which in reality is not one day as the name suggests, but lasts from 30
October until 2 November, has become one of the most popular and widely celebrated
annual holidays in Mexico. Celebrations are also becoming more common in areas of the
United States where there is a large Hispanic population. Nevertheless, its origins are
distinctly Mexican. During the time of the Aztecs, a month-long summer celebration was
held in honour of the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. After the Aztecs were
defeated by the Spanish conquistadors and Catholicism became the dominant religion, these
ancient Aztec customs merged with the Christian commemoration of All Saints' Day
(Halloween) on 1 November, giving rise to a uniquely Mexican celebration.
The way el día de los muertos is celebrated varies depending on the region of Mexico you are
in, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome
departed spirits home. Families often go to cemeteries to decorate the graves of their
departed relatives and hold all-night vigils in their memory, singing, dancing and eating
traditional foods such as pan de muerto (“bread of the dead”), which often conceal a
miniature skeleton inside. They also set up altars in their homes and make special ofrendas
(“offering”) to the dead, including flowers, candles, photographs and treasured objects
which remind them of their loved ones.
Exercise 1: Fill the gaps
Read the text below and fill each gap with the appropriate Spanish word from the list
beneath it:
La muerte es algo que causa admiración, __INCERTIDUMBRE_y MIEDO_ al ser humano. En
diversas culturas hay una serie de _RITOS_ y tradiciones para venerar, honrar, y a veces para
__BURLARSE DE_ella. México es un país _RICO_ en cultura y tradiciones; uno de las cosas
que forman parte de su identidad como nación es la idea que tienen los mexicanos de la
muerte y todas las tradiciones y _CREENCIAS_ asociadas con ELLA_.
1
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukmiedo (fear) ella (can mean “it” or “her”) burlarse de (make fun of)
creencias (beliefs) venerar (worship) rico (rich)
ritos (rituals) incertidumbre (uncertainty)
Exercise 2: Translation
Now translate the complete text above into English. You can use a dictionary, but make
sure your English flows well and sounds as natural as possible.
Death is something which causes admiration, uncertainty and fear in human beings. In many
cultures there are rituals and traditions to worship, honour, and at times make fun of it.
Mexico is a country rich in culture and traditions; one of the things which form part of its
identity as a nation is the idea which Mexicans have of death and all the traditions and
beliefs associated with it.
Exercise 3: Descriptions of El día de los muertos
Things you’ll see during the día de los muertos celebrations
Match three of the following titles to the descriptions below. There is one extra title which
is not needed. Which one do you think it is?
A. “La ofrenda y la visita de las almas” (“The offering and the visit of the souls”)
B. “Las flores” (“The flowers”)
C. “El pan de muerto” (“The bread of the dead”)
D. “Los fantasmas” (“The ghosts”) This title (D.) is the extra one
C. El pan de muerto
1. Es un pan dulce moldeado en diferentes figuras, desde simples formas redondas hasta
cráneos, adornado con figuras y cubierto de azúcar.
B. Las flores
2. Durante el período del 1 al 2 de noviembre las familias normalmente limpian y decoran
las tumbas con coloridas coronas de rosas y girasoles, pero principalmente de caléndulas.
Los mexicanos creen que las calendulas en particular atraen y guían las almas de los
muertos.
A. La ofrenda y la visita de las almas
3. Los mexicanos creen que las almas de los niños regresan de visita el día primero de
noviembre, y las almas de los adultos regresan el día 2. Si la familia de la persona muerta
no puede visitar la tumba, también hacen altares en las casas, donde ponen las ofrendas,
que pueden ser platos de comida, el pan de muerto, vasos de agua, alcohol o, para las
almas de los niños, juguetes. También ponen fotos de los muertos y velas encendidas.
2
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukExercise 4: Vocabulary
Match the following words, taken from the descriptions above, to their correct English
equivalents in the box below:
1. la rosa = rose (D)
2. regresar = to return (A)
3. redondo/a = round/rounded (R)
4. la comida = food (O)
5. el cráneo = skull (H)
6. el azúcar = sugar (F)
7. el girasol = sunflower (M)
8. el juguete = toy (I)
9. la vela = candle (J)
10. encendido/a = lit/switched on (Q)
11. la tumba = tomb/grave (S)
12. la caléndula = marigold/calendula (L)
13. cubierto de = covered with (B)
14. atraer = to attract (K)
15. limpiar = to clean (G)
16. guíar = to guide (P)
17. las almas = souls (E)
18. regresar = to return (A)
19. moldeado/a = moulded (C)
20. la corona = crown (N)
A. to return B. covered with C. moulded D. rose E. souls F. sugar
G. to clean H. skull I. toy J. candle K. to attract L. marigold/calendula
M. sunflower N. crown O. food P. to guide Q. lit/switched on
R. round/rounded S. tomb/grave
Exercise 5: Discussion
Think about the way Halloween is celebrated here in the UK and compare this to the
celebrations of El día de los muertos in Mexico. What do you think are the main similarities
and differences? What do you feel are the most surprising aspects of the festival in Mexico
and why? Discuss this issue with your class mates and teacher.
3
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukExercise 6: Presentations
In a small group, research the history and customs of El día de los muertos in Mexico War in
more detail and present your findings to your class. You can use the internet sources listed
below, library books and any other resources available.
Your written presentation should be about a paragraph in length but, if possible, you can
also use PowerPoint or other visual media to add detail and interest to your talk.
Each member of the group should deliver a 5-minute presentation to the class - in Spanish -
on a different aspect of the event.
Remember to try to make eye contact with your audience as you deliver your talk and leave
time for a question and answer session after each group presentation.
This topic offers lots of opportunities to include visual materials (photos, craft works, film
clips) on the Day of the Dead in Mexico and around the world.
Online Resources:
The Wikipedia site on Mexican Day of the Dead, which also contains links to other useful
sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead
A site on El día de los muertos in Mexico which contains recipes, poems, photographs and
descriptions of the celebration:
http://www.dayofthedead.com/
An extract from the BBC documentary series Feasts, in which the presenter Stefan Gates
investigates the ways in which El día de los muertos is celebrated in Mexico:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFt8-WdstQA&feature=relmfu
Key objectives
This activity focuses on one of Mexico’s most famous celebrations. Its key objectives are as
follows:
• To introduce students to one of the most important and widely-recognised examples
of a Mexican national holiday
• To encourage students to think about, discuss and research the event
4
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.uk• To extend students’ vocabulary and their ability to describe the customs of the
Hispanic world
• To develop students’ ability to research a topic both independently and in groups by
stimulating their interest in El día de los muerto
• To develop students’ ability to work within a group in order to compile and deliver a
presentation on El día de los muertos
• To give students the confidence to go beyond the activities set out here and explore
the topic (and related topics) in their own time
Outcomes
In addition to the completion of the shorter exercises, the main outcome of this activity is
the group presentation to be given by students on El día de los muertos or other Hispanic
holidays and customs to their class mates and teacher.
Helpful hints
This activity could be tied in with the study of vocabulary on traditions, habits and national
holidays.
It could also be used to introduce or further practise the irregular verb soler, meaning to do
something usually or regularly (“Suelo ir de vacaciones a España en verano con mi familia”,
etc.), in order to discuss and compare personal/national habits and customs.
If taught in the lead-up to Halloween, the activity could be tied in with other projects on the
celebration of All Hallows’ Eve.
Going further
This activity could lead or be linked to more extensive projects on festivals and celebrations
in Spain and Latin America, such as Las Fallas and the Tomatina in Valencia and carnival in
Latin America.
5
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukStudent Version
Culture: The Mexican Day of the Dead, El día de los muertos
Background information:
The Mexican custom of el día de los muertos, “the Day of the Dead”, may appear very similar
to the American and European custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally
starts at midnight the night of 30 October each year, and the festivities are abundant in
images related to death, ghosts, and haunting. But these customs have different origins, and
their attitudes toward death are different. In the typical Halloween festivities in Europe and
the USA death is something to be feared, but in el día de los muertos, death, or at least the
memories of those who have died, is something to be celebrated with colourful and cheerful
festivities.
El día de los muertos, which in reality is not one day as the name suggests, but lasts from 30
October until 2 November, has become one of the most popular and widely celebrated
annual holidays in Mexico. Celebrations are also becoming more common in areas of the
United States where there is a large Hispanic population. Nevertheless, its origins are
distinctly Mexican. During the time of the Aztecs, a month-long summer celebration was
held in honour of the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. After the Aztecs were
defeated by the Spanish conquistadors and Catholicism became the dominant religion, these
ancient Aztec customs merged with the Christian commemoration of All Saints' Day
(Halloween) on 1 November, giving rise to a uniquely Mexican celebration.
The way el día de los muertos is celebrated varies depending on the region of Mexico you are
in, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome
departed spirits home. Families often go to cemeteries to decorate the graves of their
departed relatives and hold all-night vigils in their memory, singing, dancing and eating
traditional foods such as pan de muerto (“bread of the dead”), which often conceal a
miniature skeleton inside. They also set up altars in their homes and make special ofrendas
(“offering”) to the dead, including flowers, candles, photographs and treasured objects
which remind them of their loved ones.
6
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukExercise 1: Fill the gaps
Read the text below and fill each gap with the appropriate Spanish word from the list
beneath it:
La muerte es un símbolo que causa admiración, ___________y _________ al ser humano. En
diversas culturas hay una serie de ______ y tradiciones para venerar, honrar, y a veces para
________ ___ ella. México es un país ______ en cultura y tradiciones; uno de los aspectos
que forman parte de su identidad como nación es la idea que tienen los mexicanos de la
muerte y todas las tradiciones y ________ asociadas con _____.
miedo (fear) ella (can mean “it” or “her”) burlarse de (make fun of)
creencias (beliefs) venerar (worship) rico (rich)
ritos (rituals) Incertidumbre (uncertainty)
Exercise 2: Translation
Now translate the complete text above into English. You can use a dictionary, but make
sure your English flows well and sounds as natural as possible.
Exercise 3: Descriptions of El día de los muertos
Things you’ll see during the día de los muertos celebrations
Match three of the following titles to the descriptions below. There is one extra title which
is not needed. Which one do you think it is?
A. “La ofrenda y la visita de las almas” (“The offering and the visit of the souls”)
B. “Las flores” (“The flowers”)
C. “El pan de muerto” (“The bread of the dead”)
D. “Los fantasmas” (“The ghosts”)
1. Es un pan dulce moldeado en diferentes figuras, desde simples formas redondas hasta
cráneos, adornado con figuras y cubierto de azúcar.
2. Durante el período del 1 al 2 de noviembre las familias normalmente limpian y decoran
las tumbas con coloridas coronas de rosas y girasoles, pero principalmente de caléndulas.
Los mexicanos creen que las calendulas en particular atraen y guían las almas de los
muertos.
3. Los mexicanos creen que las almas de los niños regresan de visita el día primero de
noviembre, y las almas de los adultos regresan el día 2. Si la familia de la persona muerta
no puede visitar la tumba, también hacen altares en las casas, donde ponen las ofrendas,
que pueden ser platos de comida, el pan de muerto, vasos de agua, alcohol o, para las
almas de los niños, juguetes. También ponen fotos de los muertos y velas encendidas.
7
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukExercise 4: Vocabulary
Match the following words, taken from the descriptions above, to their correct English
equivalents in the box below:
21. La rosa 2. regresar 3. redondo/a 4. la comida 5. cráneo
6. el azúcar 7. girasol 8. el juguete 9. la vela 10. encendido/a
11. la tumba 12. Calendula 13. cubierto de 14. atraer 15. limpiar
16. guíar 17. las almas 18. regresar 19. moldeado/a 20. la corona
A. to return B. covered with C. moulded D. rose E. souls F. sugar
G. to clean H. skull I. toy J. candle K. to attract L. marigold/calendula
M. sunflower N. crown O. food P. to guide Q. sunflower
R. lit/switched on S. round/rounded
Exercise 5: Discussion
Think about the way Halloween is celebrated here in the UK and compare this to the
celebrations of El día de los muertos in Mexico. What do you think are the main similarities
and differences? What do you feel are the most surprising aspects of the festival in Mexico
and why? Discuss this issue with your classmates and teacher.
Exercise 6: Presentations
In a small group, research the history and customs of El día de los muertos in Mexico in more
detail and present your findings to your class. You can use the internet sources listed below,
library books and any other resources available.
Your written presentation should be about a paragraph in length but, if possible, you can
also use PowerPoint or other visual media to add detail and interest to your talk.
Each member of the group should deliver a 5-minute presentation to the class - in Spanish -
on a different aspect of the event.
Remember to try to make eye contact with your audience as you deliver your talk and leave
time for a question and answer session after each group presentation.
This topic offers lots of opportunities to include visual materials (photos, craft works, film
clips) on the Day of the Dead in Mexico and around the world.
8
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukOnline Resources:
The Wikipedia site on Mexican Day of the Dead, which also contains links to other useful
sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead
A site on El día de los muertos in Mexico which contains recipes, poems, photographs and
descriptions of the celebration:
http://www.dayofthedead.com/
An extract from the BBC documentary series Feasts, in which the presenter Stefan Gates
investigates the ways in which El día de los muertos is celebrated in Mexico:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFt8-WdstQA&feature=relmfu
9
Villiers Park Educational Trust, Royston Road, Foxton, CB22 6SE www.villierspark.org.ukYou can also read
