Full transcript of “Understanding the origins and meaning of Dia De Los Muertos”. Click a timestamp to open the video at that moment. Need another video? Use the YouTube transcript generator.
0:07 So I think that now you know, at this time is the other muertos has reached such a an incredible an incredible area that we are now honoring and celebrating. And of course it started in in in Mexico among the indigenous our indigenous background. So it's been on for you know, thousands of years. Uh and it's based upon course upon indigenous religion. What the indigenous believe was the most important part of living and also dying. So for them it was a circular journey. You live and you die and you live and you die and you die. And they believed that people when they
0:54 were alive were really dreaming and it wasn't until they died that they became alive. So that's the origins of the indigenous belief in the cycle of life and death. Course this coincides and of course with what happens when the Spaniards come in from the across the ocean bringing with them their belief in Catholicism. So is Dia de los Muertos a Catholic observation? That's what it came to be, but it merged perfectly with the belief system of our indigenous population, our forefathers and foremothers that it coincided with what the Catholic
1:42 religion did in terms of observation of the day of the dead. And I think that's the beauty of Dia de los Muertos and that is that we're not gone forever, that all of these souls and spirits that have existed for years and years, that energy has to be somewhere. And the fact that it exists is a wondrous thing, I think, to be able to welcome them back and to relive the people that we know who have died, and also to learn about all of those who had died on beyond us, you know, our ancestors that we don't know. I mean, I didn't know my grandparents or my great-grandparents or
2:28 great-great-grandparents, but I do have their names. So, does that mean they died? No, that means that part of them is still exist in every generation that goes on. >> It's a tradition that is to cherish the ones that departed, and it's to remember them with love. And when we have that, as long as we remember them, they're not really gone. >> Because the indigenous people said, "As soon as you forget the name of someone, or even the name of a concept, then that is real death. Remembrance and memory. And And you have to have those two things in order to honor all those that
3:13 came before us. So, that's the origins of Día de Muertos. So, October the 31st, we start honoring the children who have died. So, that on November the 1st, that day is dedicated to all those children that have passed on, whether they passed on in in before breathing, or have passed on as young children. So, November the 1st is dedicated to the children, and November the 2nd is dedicated to the adults. And so, we have those two days. So, usually, we start montando, which means setting up an altar. It can be done at any time before November the 1st. We call them
3:58 altares, altars, or we call them ofrendas, an offering, or we combine the two. So, in order to be able to give an offering, you do have to have something that is set up as an altar. A traditional traditional one would have seven levels, coinciding against with that journey, the indigenous journey through all the way up. Or it can be as simple as having three or four. It's not mandatory what you do, but you do have the seven levels. So, usually there is the lower level, um and then one that goes up, and it goes up into a certain one where the very top one is going to have this the religious
4:45 symbol. For me, it would be the Virgen de Guadalupe, but for me, she's a symbol of my history. And you would also have the pictures of who it is that you're honoring, the most honored one. And of course, you're going to have many, many pictures. >> Setting up an ofrenda, it's a really emotional moment for me. It starts when we go and we get all those boxes where we have the decorations, and we have the cut paper, and we have cross. And when I get to the frames of the people who passed away, I always feel like crying because I know that as long as I believe in it, one day, for just one day, they're going to come back. They are not gone.
5:31 They are here with me. >> And so, there elements that you have to have. For example, we have papel picado, which is that paper that's perforated. And um that signifies how fragile life is Cuz it's tissue paper. And that tissue paper blows in the wind. So, the element of wind is an important one. And then you have to have candles to light the way. We have to set up a a way or a journey or a map for where our our departed can find us and come where we can celebrate them. It can be lined with candles, which also have its own
6:17 significance. And then that path can be We call those tapetes or like a rug. You can outline it with flowers and so forth. But one of the elements traditionally was to make a cross of salt. Because we need salt to replenish to replenish us. All altars then need to have the light, the wind, and then of course the food to feed our um departed. So, I think that's where you start learning about your antepasados because you have to learn about what is it that they like to eat? What was their favorite food? And it's a way of honoring them with their favorite food, something to drink cuz you always
7:03 have to have water to feed the soul that comes in that's looking for the water. The flower that we associate with Día de Muertos is cempasúchil, which is the marigold. Why the marigold? Have you ever smelled one? It does not have a scent like a rose or a scent like any other beautiful uh flower, but it has a smell that we associate with probably death because it's a strong strong scent and kind of a bitter scent. Not that we might all know what, you know, death smells like, but you can imagine it with that with that flower. So, we have wind, flower, water, salt,
7:51 and and and a way to light the way up to it. And then again, like I said, the different levels of your altar, you're going to have pictures. Pictures are definitely mandatory. Now, you might not have pictures of your great-great-grandparents, but you could do an investigation and find the names and at least write the names out on there. And then, you would also have traditional pan de muertos. There's two pan de pan de muertos that are utilized. One that is round and has a little knob on the side and four things that go out. And so, the knob on the top of that pan de muertos is a
8:37 signifies your brain, your head. And then, the other one are the limbs. The other one are is Now that it has become a very popular is the big pan de muertos in the shape of a person. And that the pan de muertos signifies someone you know that might have died. Why do we have, which leads us then to the uses as skeletons, the called skeletons, or calaveras. And once we die, what is left? An esqueleto, right? And all skeletons worldwide, centuries long, are the same. So, it's a big reminder that skin color, probably even gender,
9:23 um anything else, it doesn't matter, because underneath we are all the same. And I think that's a very humble way of relating to everyone. And the calavera became a very um significant part of Mexican history and culture because of Jose Posada, who was a big um artist way back when, who was doing political satire. And how do you do political satire easily? You strip people down to what they are, all that they are. And then the aspect of dressing them up. One of the most famous one is the one that Diego Rivera did in
10:11 Mexico City that unfortunately, during one of the um earthquakes, came down. But that was um I think the I think the mural was called um Domingo en la Plaza or Plaza Domingo or something like that, where he dressed up and put the calavera right in the middle with a big hat, feathers, and so forth, and a and and and I and a dress, and then he portrayed himself down at the bottom. It um expanded on the idea of artistic creativity because it's been an element not just among indigenous communities, but also among Mexicans, that we um we delight in bright color, we delight
10:56 in interpretations of everyday elements. >> You are doing it with respect. And you are doing it because the tradition honors the one who passed away. So for me, dress as a catrina represents Mexico, represents my culture. It's in years and years of blending of the two worlds that now have evolved into this, a living canvas, a celebration that can be seen, that can be touched, and can be shared through your eyes. >> And what does this thousands-year-old celebration have to do with me here. And what it has to do with, and I give credit to the movie Coco, is that all of us understand
11:43 that once our name is gone, then you're gone. So, I think the other Los Muertos should be a day of remembrance of your ancestors, of memories, or stories of that that you know, and to be joyful in the life that went on before you, and to be thankful for those ancestors you have that are going to be providing you with strength, with cultural wealth, with cultural being, with um a richness that we would not have if we didn't have our antepasados. >> And when it's the night, when it's the time of the crossing, and you know
12:29 they're here and he's ready to party, now you remember that it's not a sad time. It's a celebration of love, and the reason why we celebrate is because we all had someone that we loved very much. We all had someone that is no longer with us. And thanks to this tradition, we can have them back.
