Summary
Don't let the skeletons and cemetery visits fool you: The Mexican holiday of <i>Día de los Muertos</i> is about family, not frights. According to tradition, it's a time when the spirits of the dead come back to visit their loved ones. The origins of the holiday go back to the time of the Aztec Empire. Every summer, the people known as the Mexica celebrated the queen of the underworld with parades, feasts, and shrines. When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, they tried to outlaw these customs. But instead of disappearing, the traditions merged with similar Catholic practices and continue to live on! Today, Mexican families still welcome the dead with decorated altars called <i>ofrendas</i>, and enjoy popular foods like <i>pan de muertos</i> (a glazed sweet roll) and <i>calaveritas</i> (skull-shaped candies)! It's all part of the joyful spirit of the day, as families come together to remember their dearly departed. Press "play" to learn what we left out of this bare-bones summary!
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Day of the Dead:
- What is one new thing you learned about day of the dead?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining day of the dead.
- Draw or give one example of your own.