Día de los Muertos - Poster of the Week

Dia De Los Muertos

Ricardo Favela

Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF)

Silkscreen, 1976

Sacramento, California (USA)

#5427

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead is a holiday that dates to pre-conquest times and is celebrated on November 1st through November 2nd, predominantly in Mexico and other Latin American and Caribbean countries. During this period, the spirits of the dead are believed to return to be with their families and loved ones.

To welcome them, their families build altars at home or in cemeteries, adorned with cempazúchitls, or Aztec/Mexican marigolds They also have candles to light their way home, photos of the deceased and offerings such as food or drinks. These gifts and offerings are left to communicate that although loved ones have left this world, they are always in the hearts of those they left behind. In some places families spend time at the cemetery with loved ones, bringing food and drinks along for a picnic. Día De Los Muertos is a time of joy for families since they are surrounded by those they love—both living and dead.

As we approach the beginning of Día de los