Celebrating the Altar of the Dead

This weekend, Halloween bashes will be taking place all over the country. But there is a tradition to celebrate “El Dia Los Muertos” that is a main feature in Mexico and the rest of the Americas. The Day of the Dead is really a tradition that combines ancient culture with Catholicism.  Locally, in Benque Viejo and other areas of the country where the Mestizos are prevalent, the occasion is also observed. The Mexican Embassy in Belmopan is hosting a three day exhibition beginning on Monday of the different components of this tradition, including the Alter of the Dead.

Via Phone: Hector Peralta, Deputy Chief of Mission, Mexican Embassy

“The Dia de los Muertos is a celebration in Mexico in which the people believe that the souls of their passed away relatives are coming back trying to find their way to a better place, the paradise. This celebration in Mexico, it is in a very special understanding of the concept of death. We respect the death but we consider them actual friends or actual relatives. Here in the Embassy in Belmopan, we are going to have a display of how the celebration is held, trying to represent how this happens in the great Mexico. We are trying to make representations of towns, we are trying to represent how it is celebrated with the lights and candles and all of this. Besides, we are going to celebrate with the traditional offering that the family of the deceased tries to offer to them like their favorite food, their favorite drinks and all of this with ornaments of flowers, of lights and sometimes even with a very joyful or happy music.  Every year we celebrate in Mexico. It is a traditional festivity and it is a very ancient festivity. It came from the time before—pre-Colombian times. From the times of the Mayas and the Aztecs, they used to celebrate these activities. Just when the Spaniards arrived they mixed it with the catholic or the Christian tradition and they adopted new ways to present this form of celebration which is what we are going to celebrate today.”

The exhibit runs from October thirty-first to November second, which is actual Dia de Los Muertos. It is open to the public and is free of cost.