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Mexican Festival of the Day of the Dead For our October 2007 meeting we explored the Mexican Festival of the Day of the Dead (or El Dia de los muertos in the local lingo). It’s celebrated today on the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days. However, we found out that it was a much older tradition going back 3,000 years to the Aztecs, and that 500 years ago the Spanish Conquistadors tried to stamp it out as they thought that the Aztec tribes were mocking death. In fact, far from being a sad time it’s all about remembering loved ones and rejoicing in their memory, we reconstructed a typical family altar (or ofrenda), ours was dedicated to the memory of Sir Mortimer Wheeler! We decorated it in the manner that they are today in South America with special colourful bread (pan de muertos), and marigold flowers, Calacas (skeleton figurines) and papel picardo which are traditionally cut out of tissue paper. We also made colourful masks to wear, and finished our session outside with a special sugar skull piñata full of glitter and goodies! |
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Copyright © 2004 Birmingham's Young Archaeologists
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