“It was like, 'accept Christianity or die.' But when they adopted Christianity, they also consciously chose to infuse that Christianity with their Indigenous traditions.”īut while history cannot be erased, one Phoenix couple has spent the last three decades trying to bring Día de los Muertos back to its authentic roots, before the Spanish colonial era. “Mexican Indigenous people, the Zapotec, Mayan and Aztec had to convert during early colonization in the 1500s and 1600s to survive in their communities,'' Sandoval said. What people see today is a medley of ancient traditions and those of the Spanish who, over 500 years ago, imposed their Catholic rites on the Indigenous populations of the lands they conquered. It’s not so much a time of mourning, but rather a time to invite the spirits of the dead back from beyond to join their families in a two-day celebration of family and life.īut Día de los Muertos as it is known today is a different holiday than what was celebrated in ancient times. During these two days, people make altars or ofrendas with images of their loved ones, paint their faces with images of the skull, visit the cemeteries with offerings of food and libations and some even host parties to honor their deceased relatives. 1 and 2, on the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. That’s how Mathew Sandoval, senior lecturer at Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University explains the colorful, annual Mexican celebration of honoring the dearly departed.ĭía de los Muertos, an ancient Mexican celebration with Indigenous Aztec roots, is typically observed on Nov. “We can think of Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos as like an Indigenous beating heart underneath the skin of Catholicism.” Raphael Romero Ruiz and Shanti Lerner, Arizona Republic
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