We mortals all have to go, we will all die
on earth ...
like a painting, we will
all blurred.
Like a flower, we will dry
here on earth ... Meditate
, gentlemen eagles and tigers, although you are
jade, gold
although you, you will go there too
the place of rest.
We must wake up, nobody will be
.
Nezahualcoyotl, King and poet (1391-1472)
The feast of the dead is linked to the pre-Hispanic agricultural calendar, it is the party that was held when started the collection or harvest of corn, squash, beans and chickpeas. That is, is the first major post-season banquet shortages in previous months and that was shared with the dead. The celebration of Day of the Dead in Mexico, has a pre-Hispanic origin, that is, before the English arrived to the continent. No record that these celebrations, ethnic Mexican, Maya, Purépecha, Nahua and Totonac with a length of at least 3000 years.
The original festival that later turned into Day Dead is celebrated in early August and lasted about a month, the festivities were presided over by the goddess Mictecacíhuatl, known as the "Lady Death" and wife of Mictlantecuhtli, Lord of the land of the dead.
JOURNEY BEYOND THE
Ancient peoples believed that when people die, the soul traveled to other places to go this way the deceased was buried with a dog, which would help to cross a river and come to Mictlantecuhtli, who was to deliver, as an offering, torches and bundles of reeds perfume, cotton (Ixcatlán), red thread and blankets. Those who went to Mictlan (the other world) received as an offering, four arrows and four torches tied with cotton thread. Mictlan was composed of 9 sites, 8 were killed and challenges for the 9-the deepest, could achieve eternal rest.
Mictlan The nine dimensions were: 1 .- Apanohuaia
or Itzcuintlan: Here was a mighty river, the only way of crossing was by means of Xolotl. If life was not kind to a dog, the dead man was in this dimension for eternity. 2 .- Tepectli
Monamictlan: A place where the mountains collide yes. 3 .- Iztepetl
: Cerro blade, this place was strewn with flints. 4 .- Izteecayan
: Place where the wind blows the blades, this was a site with a saw consisting of eight hills and snowing heavily. 5 .- Paniecatacoyan
: A place where bodies float like flags, this place was at the foot of the hill last Izteecayan and there began a very cold desert area, consisting of eight wilderness that had to go. 6 .- Timiminaloayan
: The place where arrows, here said was a path unseen hands whose sides sent to shoot down arrows pointed to the interns. 7 .- Teocoyocualloa
: Where the beasts feed of hearts. In this passage, a wild beast opened the chest of the deceased to eat his heart, because without this body, the person fell into a pool which was fiercely pursued by an alligator. 8 .- Izmictlan
Apochcalolca: The Way of fog that blinds in this place had to wade through nine rivers before reaching the place where he waited for his break-threatening.
Chicunamictlan
9 .- Here the souls found rest for your souls. It was the deepest places of the lords of death.
After passing all these obstacles, we come to the release of his tonalli (soul). The trip lasts four years posthumously.
Earth Lord of the dead.
For its part, the dead children had a special place called Chichihuacuauhco, where he was a tree whose branches dripped milk for that feed. Children who came here again destroy the earth when the race that lived there. In this way, death reborn life.
pre-Hispanic burials were accompanied by offerings that contained two types of objects: those who in life had been used by the dead, and you might need on its journey to the underworld. During
called Tlaxochimaco, was carried out Miccailhuitntli celebration or party called the dead ones, around 16 July. This festival began when he cut the tree in the forest called xocotl, which took away the bark, and they did flowers for decoration. In celebration involving all, and made offerings to the tree for twenty days.
In the tenth month of the calendar, is celebrated Ueymicailhuitl, or great festival of the dead. This celebration took place around August 5 when he said that fell on xocotl. At this festival processions were held which concluded with rounds around the tree.
With the arrival of the English, there was a syncretism with the Catholic church festivals, the first day of November marks the day of "All Saints" and the two on the "faithful departed" but even now the first date is reserved for the dead children, and the second for the dead adults. It has become a party representative of Mexico, where people honor their ancestors and is prepared to receive them once a year back home to his family.
Towns and cities are prepared in advance, and in some populations the Church bells announce the hour in which the souls of the dead return to the world, the place of meeting are the cemeteries. Large door-shaped structures are made of wood and covered with flowers cempoalxochitl, this flower is special because they say its characteristic smell has the ability to attract the souls of the dead, and through the aroma and can find their way back the world of the living and to meet their loved ones will be waiting with the dishes in life were his favorite. No food on the altars, the traditional "dead bread, candy, fruit, chocolate, tamales, mole, mezcal, is decorated with papel picado, candles, sugar skulls and placed copal incense. For children deceased are brought candy and toys. But it is a celebration would be sad or not, music is brought to enliven the night time.
Some people prefer to build altars in their home, then make a path of petals Cempoalxóchitl from the street to the door of his house, with candles on the sides so that their dead relatives are not lost the dark and can find their way back home. They put pictures of the family to be invited that night and the altar contains essentially the same as those that rise up in cemeteries or parks.
face of these days and nights full of memories and families of two worlds together is a bad idea not to pity those who no one remembers or expects, so also make offerings to "encourage one" to celebrate in the streets stands a niche where placed a candle, a glass of water and flowers.
Again, the bells of the church announced that the dead must return to another world, until next year.
When Death RIE
The truth is that for Mexicans, death is naturally intuited in everyday life, we know that walking on one side and created ways to keep a good relationship, we laugh at her, not as a joke, but as a friendly joke, shows that the famous "skulls" short and funny rhymes that are traditional, written as a mockery to show the ephemeral nature of life
English isskull skull
Italian Maximilian
same
and
Roman pontiff and the cardinals
dukes, kings, councilors
and the head of the nation
in the tomb are the same:
skulls galore.
Unknown.
Heritage.
In a ceremony held in Paris, France on November 7, 2003 UNESCO honored the Indian holiday Day of the Dead as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The distinction by UNESCO consider the festival is:
"... one of the most important representations of the living heritage of Mexico and the world, and as one of the oldest cultural expressions and more force among indigenous groups in the country. "
Also in the declaration document highlights:
"This annual meeting between people who celebrate and their ancestors, has a social function that remembers the individual's place within the group and contributes to the affirmation of identity ... "
plus:
" ... although the tradition is not formally threatened, their aesthetic and cultural dimensions must be preserved for the growing number of non-indigenous expressions of a commercial nature tend intangible affect its content. "
Dedicated to my daughter without fail, year after year the dead of night, lets his bis sweet cello and my great grandmother Antonia, which feed many stray dogs in the hope that help her cross the big river ...
