Transcending Borders: The Celebration of Miccailhuitl or Dia de Los Muertos

Miccailhuitl or Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday with Aztec Indigenous Roots celebrated between October 27 - November 2nd each year. A time where the souls of our loved ones cross the bridge from the Spirit World back to the land of the living to be with us for one night.  A celebration of death as a natural part of life, this holiday teaches us that our loved ones never really leave us.

Dating back to the beliefs of the Aztec indigenous peoples of Mexico more than 3,000 years ago. Over time, the rituals have morphed into present day practices. Huey Miccailhuitl: Translates to “great feast of the dead”, dedicated to deceased adults. This was also celebrated in August, and later syncretized with Catholic traditions to align with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1st and 2nd

Each day honors a different loved one. The bridge between worlds opens, the souls of the deceased come back to celebrate with the living.

10/27: for remembering our pets 

10/28: those who passed away in accidents or unexpectedly 

10/29: those who died by drowning 

10/30: those who died unidentified or without food

10/31-11/1: special customary offerings to infants, children, or those unable to be born

11/2: for ancestors and adults

11/3: farewell prayer, asking to return next year, and removal of altar

Each year for Dia de los Muertos, families build altars or Ofrendas to welcome the souls of their loved ones back home. Altars serve to remember those we’ve lost-  adorned with their photos, favorite foods, and other trinkets to help guide their spirits back. Altars are unique to each individual, but they’re crafted to celebrate our loved ones, reminiscing on the times we had together with laughs, tears, and gratitude.

Cempasúchil (marigold), colorful calaveras (skulls), and calacas (skeletons) have also become symbols of Dia de los Muertos. Cempasúchil or cempohualxochitl in Nahuatl (meaning “twenty flowers”), is a key symbol of the celebration, believed to guide spirits with its bright color and scent. Most famously is La Calavera Catrina, a satirical skeleton character designed by Jose Posada in 1912. Later in the 1900s, Diego Rivera and other artists included La Calavera Catrina in their works, leading to her association with Dia de los Muertos and cementing her as one of the most recognizable symbols of Mexican culture. 

La Catrina has found her way recently onto a new stage: la playa. Paying homage to the deep meaning of Dia de los Muertos and those we have lost, Mexican surfers Ilianet Nuñez- Valdovinos and Patty Ornelas dressed as La Catrina before catching waves at Playa la Saladita in Mexico. Nuñez-Valdovinos is the reigning ladies longboard champion of Mexico and Ornelas is a local legend making surf headlines internationally. Taking to the ocean for a joyful celebration of their loved ones, both women posted videos of their La Catrina surfs, honoring those who came before by paving the way for more representation and inclusion for Mexican surfers. In a sport that often underrepresents women and Latinx community, the impact of Nuñez-Valdovino and Ornelas celebrating their Mexican heritage sends a loud message: Mexican cultura transcends beyond the living and the land into the magic of the ocean, a place without borders. 

Written By: K. Armintrout

Resources:

https://www.history.com/articles/day-dead-dia-de-muertos-origins

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-la-catrina-became-the-iconic-symbol-for-the-day-of-the-dead

https://originmexico.com/blogs/news/the-complete-guide-to-the-celebration-of-dia-de-los-muertos?srsltid=AfmBOooJGauG7-EFac5zgbTmm2stPn6YAd8CPGE1bcGipLHv-If84GGn

https://longboardermagazine.com/2023/02/worth-the-wait/

https://www.barahonasurf.com/patty-ornelas