Mexico City dresses in offerings and skulls to receive its deceased

The souls of the deceased are about to return from the afterlife and the City of Mexico is already preparing to receive them with beautiful offerings and skulls that adorn its public spaces on the occasion of the Day of the Dead, the most universal Mexican holiday.

“All the offerings become a precious and wonderful thing to me. It is a beautiful tradition that we must never lose and it is something that we must instill in children “, said this Friday to Efe Magdalena, an accountant fascinated by the works of art that decorate the city during these dates.

FROM THE PANDEMIC TO TENOCHTITLAN

And it is that, as every year, the public spaces of the capital were filled with offerings on the eve of the Day of the Dead, those altars that are dedicated to the deceased so that their souls can return to the world of the living and be with their families during on November 1 and 2.

Many are usually linked to the present, such as the altars installed in the Plaza Tolsá in the center of the capital, dedicated to the almost 300,000 deaths left by the pandemic of the covid-19 on Mexico.

These works are adorned with candles, the traditional and colorful skulls, and marigold flowers, which with their intense orange color are responsible for guiding the souls of the dead.

Magdalena, who every year puts a large offering in her home, recalled that an altar can never be missing “The tastes of the deceased” so that they can taste them again during their visit. In his, he always puts the desserts that his grandparents loved.

Over the next few days, the central Zócalo square will host a large offering dedicated to indigenous peoples, while many museums also prepare theirs, such as the Dolores Olmedo, which dedicated its traditional altar to the heroes of Mexican independence, consummated 200 ago. years.

That of the University of the Cloister of Sor Juana dates back much further, to 1521, as it is dedicated to the Mexican capital of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City), which fell 500 years ago at the hands of the Spanish conquerors led by Hernán Cortés.

The sculptor Antonio López wanted “give a little light despite the tragedy “ of this historical episode with a majestic work that reinterprets the founding myth of the Aztec city, in which an eagle ate a snake on top of a nopal cactus.

Precisely, the Day of the Dead, the most well-known celebration outside the Mexican borders, is born from the syncretic relationship between the pre-Hispanic vision of death and Catholic customs.

BETWEEN BREAD AND SKULLS

The festival would not be the same without the protagonism of the skulls, skeletons and catrinas (skull women), much more cheerful and mocking than those of the gloomy Halloween.

In the heart of Paseo de la Reforma, a well-known perfume brand raised an imposing eight-meter-high skull, surrounded by 200 clay skulls and hundreds of marigold plants, which has become a coveted setting for selfies.

From its interior, where an offering pays tribute to Mexican potters, Andrea and her daughter Ximena came out fascinated, both with a catrina-like face and head adorned with flowers.

“We celebrate death, we make offerings for our dead. It is a very beautiful tradition ”, explained the mother, whose altar can never lack the bread of the dead.

Precisely in the center of Mexico City a fair dedicated to this cake was launched, which represents the shape of bones and is traditional on the Day of the Dead. Although it is also reinvented.

“We want the new generations not to lose tradition and we make many fillings so that they can attract, such as hazelnut cream, chocolate, blackberry, cream …”, explained Laura, a worker in an artisan bakery dedicated to this snack, which gives a taste something sweeter to death.