Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday traditionally observed on Nov. 1 and 2. It’s believed to be a time when spirits of the dead return home to spend time with loved ones. To welcome and honor their ancestors, families build ofrendas, or altars, and place flowers, candles, photos and artwork on them, as well as offerings of food and drinks.
Day of the Dead has its origins in the rituals practiced by the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, and is believed to date back over 3,000 years. It’s a special tradition that acknowledges the symbiotic relationship between life and death, a celebration filled with laughter, love and honest reflection.
The marigold, or Flor de Muerto (Flower of Dead), is the traditional flower used to attract the spirits. Altars are also decorated with papel picado, a Mexican decorative craft made by cutting elaborate designs into sheets of colored tissue paper. Toys and trinkets are also offered, as is food like candied pumpkin, Pan de Muerto (Bread of Dead) and sugar skulls.
Day of the Dead festivities can include hosting special meals where tamales are often the main dish. Drinks are also an important part of the celebrations. Historically, the main alcoholic drink was pulque, or agave wine, a sour beverage that looks like milk.
A fun Day of the Dead tradition is the writing of short poems called Calaveras Literarias. These rhyming epitaphs are usually dedicated to friends and family, or sometimes public figures, both living and dead, and are often filled with light-hearted humor.
Day of the Dead is primarily celebrated in Mexico and Latin America, and in countries with large Latino communities. It became popular in America during the Chicano movement of the 1970s and 1980s, with the phrase “Día de los Muertos is not Mexican Halloween” becoming an important rallying cry.
In 2008, Day of the Dead was inscribed into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, thereby protecting this cultural celebration as an authentic Mexican holiday.
“Day of the Dead” exhibit
Through Nov. 2
Thu – Sat: 11am – 3pm
Local artists present interpretations of Día de los Muertos
Hayward Area Historical Society Museum
22380 Foothill Blvd., Hayward
www.haywardareahistory.org.
EBCPCA & Ballet Folklórico México Danza Present: Día de los Muertos
Fri, Oct. 25 – Saturday, Oct. 26
Fri: 7:30pm
Sat: 7pm
Colorful event breathes life into traditions honoring ancestors
Douglas Morrisson Theatre
22311 N. 3rd St, Hayward
https://douglasmorrissontheatre.thundertix.com/
Tickets: $35 – $40
Día de Muertos Celebration
Sat, Oct. 26
12pm – 5pm
Live mariachi band, ballet folklorico, Mexican lotería, arts and crafts, ofrenda contest, resource fair and more
Magnolia Plaza (Next to Mexico Tortilla Factory)
7015 Thornton Ave., Newark
Cumbia in Hayward Day of the Dead resource fair
Fri, Nov. 1
5pm – 10pm
Community altar resource fair, vaccination and wellness clinic, family activities, and live music by Discos Resaca Collective
Veterans Memorial Hall
22737 Main St., Hayward
Organized by Eden Youth (@op3doors on Instagram)
Día de Muertos Wellness Fair & Sugar Skull 5K Run
Sat, Nov. 2
9am – 12pm
Performances, crafts, wellness fair and 5k run
Cardoza Park
Kennedy Dr. & N. Park Victoria Dr., Milpitas
www.milpitas.gov
Niles Altar Walk
Sun, Nov. 3
2pm – 9pm
Locals, Friends of Niles, artists and students build altars to commemorate the lives of passed loved ones
Niles Town Plaza
37482 Niles Blvd., Fremont
www.niles.org/nmsa-calendar-of-events/niles-altar-walk
