What Things Are in a Traditional Ofrenda?

Skeletons are often incorporated into traditional ofrenda tables.

In Mexico and other Latin American countries, the centerpiece of the Day of the Dead holiday is the ofrenda, or "offering," a small altar set on a table that is used to commemorate and honor the lives of deceased friends and relatives. Built each year on Nov. 1 and 2, the Day of the Dead's ofrenda began in pre-Columbian times with the ritual of burying a relative or friend with his most prized possessions.

Commemorating Loved Ones

According to the website Inside-Mexico, an ofrenda is technically an altar, but its purpose is not religious. Rather, ofrenda are table-top memorials that pay homage to fallen friends and relatives. The objects used in an ofrenda are gifts to the deceased, with each item representing a lost soul. Often layered with different levels of special token items, ofrenda are meant for the spirits of a family's ancestors, and therefore are never consumed or enjoyed by the living.

Table and Ritual Setup

Before an ofrenda is set up in the home for the Day of the Dead holiday, the family cleans the home as part of a welcoming ritual for the souls of the deceased. Once the house is clean, a table is chosen for the ofrenda and a crisp, often white tablecloth is placed over it. Papel picado, small pieces of cut tissue paper, are then placed on the table. If layers are built into the ofrenda, the uppermost levels usually contain images of the crucifix and saints.

Light Offerings

For every person who is being honored by the ofrenda, a candle is lighted and placed on the table. The light of the candle, which is known as ceras, symbolizes the rebirth of Jesus while offering a lighted pathway home for the deceased souls at the table. Incense, or capal, is burned to help the prayers of the living reach the heavens.

Decorative and Food Items

An ancient symbol used in all of the Day of the Dead celebrations, the Cempasuchitl flower is also part of the traditional ofrenda, representing the fleeting nature of life. Cempasuchitl flower petals are often used to make wreaths or crosses, and the petals are often scattered across the table to help guide the lost relatives and friends to the table. Foods are important to the ritual, particularly salt and water, which symbolize purity and the quenching of thirst after a long journey. Favorite meals of the deceased usually adorn the traditional ofrenda table, as well as pan de muerto, a type of ritual, skeleton-shaped bread eaten during the Day of the Dead celebration.

Personal Items

Because an ofrenda commemorates the lives of lost souls, personal items become one of the more personal aspects of the altar. Photographs are common for each member who has passed, as well as objects the deceased enjoyed while alive, such as certain brands of alcohol or cigarettes or articles of clothing. If a child is being honored, a favorite toy or book is left on the table as a gift.

References

• Inside-Mexico: Day of the Dead
• Inside-Mexico: La Ofrenda for the Day of the Dead

Resources

• MexOnline: Day of the Dead