Día de los Muertos Can you identify the language? What does it mean? Did the pictures give you a clue?

Día de los Muertos

Can you identify the language?

What does it mean?

Did the pictures give you a

clue?

Día de los Muertos

This is the day of the dead…

It is actually a 3 day festival (October 31st & November 2nd) celebrated in Mexico

From the CIA website

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html

Día de los Muertos

Mexicans decorate graves and spend time with their dead relatives and friends

Día de los Muertos

Pan de MuertosA special bread made especially for this occasion

Sugar skulls are made and placed on an altar in honour of the spirits of those who have died. The persons name is inscribed on top

Día de los MuertosCempasuchil ~ Marigolds

Marigolds are used to fragrance the altars at this time of year

The altar includes four main elements of nature — earth, wind, water, and fire.

Earth ~ food: The Mexicans believe the souls are fed by the aroma of food.

Wind ~ a moving object: Tissue paper is commonly used to represent wind.

Water ~ in a container: for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey

Fire ~ a wax candle: Each lit candle represents a soul, and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul.

Día de los Muertos

Día de los Muertoshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe5A9G0naxM&feature=related

Some photos of the day with some Mexican singing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xvPDpAKro4&feature=related

Another video of the day – good to start an art lesson with, chalk on sugar paper, construct a skeleton, altar etc…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRIEOQwepag&feature=related

Video: Great quality, lively shots of festival activities, parades, masks, Spanish only

Info from:

www.dayofthedead.com

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/

http://www3.niu.edu/newsplace/nndia.html