What Countries Celebrate Day of the Dead Festivals?

Most Latin American countries celebrate the Day of the Dead.

Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos festivals are commonly celebrated in Latin American countries as well as other Spanish-speaking countries. The celebration focuses on family members that have died or passed away. Families gather and build alters for their loved ones. They also deliver sugar skulls and marigolds to the grave of the family member. The holiday is similar to All Saints Day and All Souls Day which is celebrated by Catholics in November. The Day of the Dead is celebrated from October 31 through November 3 each year.

Mexico

Mexicans have been celebrating the Day of the Dead festival for 2,500 to 3,000 years. The popular festival originates from an Aztec festival celebrated for the "Lady of the Dead," a goddess for the dead. Aztecs kept the skulls of their enemies as trophies and displayed them during a ritual performed in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar. The modern day festival starts with a day dedicated to children and infants then turns into a celebration for deceased adults.

United States

The Day of the Dead is not a recognized federal holiday in the United States, but many western states celebrate the holiday. Arizona and Texas have large populations of Mexican Americans who honor this holiday with traditional events such as wearing masks and outfits in a parade through the streets. The largest of these parades happens in Tucson.

Guatemala

Guatemala is another country that has a large celebration honoring the dead. Residents visit the graves of their dead ancestors and top off the celebration by flying large kites. The festival concludes with a feast of fiambre made only during this celebration. Fiambre is a cold salad made with 50 different ingredients including sausages, onions, olives and other ingredients grown within the country.

Ecuador

Day of the Dead celebrations are popular in all societies of Ecuador, but extremely popular to the Kichwa population which make up more than 25 percent of the country's residents. Food is taken to the graves of ancestors to honor their spirit. The food is commonly a spiced fruit porridge mixed with purple maize. The porridge is eaten on a bread called "guagua de pan."

Brazil

Brazilians celebrate the Day of the Dead by placing flowers and candles on the graves of their deceased ancestors. Family members say prayers over the graves for the spirit of the ancestor. The celebration is considered a happy, positive festival in honor of the dead. No special parades or foods are part of the celebration in Brazil and they only celebrate on November 2.

Haiti

Haiti has a very large Day of the Dead celebration. The culture's VooDoo traditions mix with Catholic observances to honor the dead. Residents go to the cemeteries and play loud drums all night long in order to waken a god named "Baron Samedi." The music also wakens Baron Samedi's mischievous family members so the gods can carry the souls of the dead to the after-life.

Bolivia

Bolivia is another Latin American country that has a large Day of the Dead celebration. The Andean population of the country began honoring the bones of their ancestors three years after their deaths. Today, the Day of the Dead celebration only uses the skull of one family member. The skull is kept inside the house throughout the year in order to protect the family. The celebration occurs on November 9 when the family decorates the skull with flowers, clothing, cigarettes, coca leaves and other items in order to thank the skull for protecting the family.

References

• Extension en Expanol: Major Holidays and Celebrations of Spanish-Speaking Countries
• Day of the Dead: Mexico Celebrates Life
• Celebrate Day of the Dead: Day of the Dead Facts