The Day of the Dead is a Mexican traditional holiday that has been celebrated for many years throughout the Central and Southern regions of Mexico. Family and friends gather to remember and honor those who have passed away, and it is believed that the spirits of the dead visit the living during the celebration.
Did you know?
Day of the Dead has nothing to do with Halloween even though it’s celebrated around the same time. In Mexico, the traditional festivities those of us in the U.S. associate with “halloween” is called Dia de las Brujas, widely considered a activity primarily for kids, and which involves dressing in costumes and visiting friends and neighbors who give out candy and other small gifts. So Dia de los Muertos is about honoring deceased loved ones, and Dia de las Brujas is the equivalent of ‘trick or treating’ others.
Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos is on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It’s also a tradition to create an altar (ofrenda) for the dead. Bright colored Marigolds are placed on the altar and their petals are used to guide the spirits to the altar. They’re also used to decorate gravesites.
The Celebration
Spirits may be hungry from their long journey back to the living world, so part of the celebration includes traditional foods. At Check PricesLe Blanc in Los Cabos they have created a five-course menu that includes a marigold salad, corn tamales, the catch of the day with rice and plantain Nicuatole (a corn-based drink made in Oaxaca), steak with cacao sauce, and the final course may be the best of all with a chocolate coffin, dulce de leche, tequila and guava….yum!
Since there are lots of different traditions for Day of the Dead, the northern state of Guerrero is known for its mole verde served with tamales filled with marigold petals. Ancient Mayans buried their deceased with maize placed in their mouths, it was known as food for the journey into the otherworld.
At Check PricesLe Blanc Cancun Resort the Dia de los Muertos event is on Nov. 2nd and will be in Blanc Luna. You can kick off the party with a welcome cocktail and then after dinner enjoy a presentation about the history and traditions of the ofrenda.
