EAST CORINTH — The Day of the Dead may not be as familiar as Halloween in this part of the country, but the two holidays share some traits. Both festivals honor the spirit world and the afterlife, and both feature costumes and sweet treats.
But while Halloween often has spooky or sinister associations, Mexico’s Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is more of a lighthearted celebration of loved ones who have passed on.
For those who want to learn more about the tradition, Blake Memorial Library in East Corinth will host a Day of the Dead party from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The event will include an “ofrenda” (an offering table, or altar) decorated with flowers, fruit, candles and sugar skulls, which are just what they sound like: skulls made of molded sugar and decorated with colorful icing. Attendees are invited to bring in a photo of a loved one who has died (it can also be a pet or an ancestor), light a candle and share a little background about that person if they wish.
After the candle lighting, the group will partake in the traditional “pan de muertos” (“bread of the dead”) and Mexican hot chocolate and look at the photos.
“It’s different from what we do in our culture,” said Kimberly Hotelling, assistant librarian, who is organizing the celebration at Blake Library with the help of Veronica Graham, of Corinth.
Hotelling lived in Mexico as an exchange student while in high school and later taught elementary and middle school Spanish. Graham is of Mexican descent.
The first time she held a Day of the Dead gathering, Hotelling discovered that the participants tended to share stories about how their loved ones died.
“The next time, I had to stress it’s about their life,” she said. “How they lived, what you remember about them.”
“I just love teaching about it,” Hotelling said. “It’s a great way to learn about your ancestors. It’s nice to have a time every year to think about them, to make their special food and bring out the things they liked.
“It’s really kind of sacred and beautiful.”
The Day of the Dead has its roots in native Central American rituals, which became blended with elements of All Souls Day after the Spanish Catholic colonists arrived. In Mexico, the holiday often encompasses three days and may include parades, graveside decorating parties and the sharing of funny stories and anecdotes about the deceased.
It’s no coincidence that observances honoring the dead take place all over the world in late October and early November, according to Hotelling.
“In many cultures, people believe the veil between worlds is thin (at this time of year) and the spirits can cross over,” she said.
For more information, visit blakememorial.org or call 802-439-5338.