Abstract:
The famous tradition, Day of The Dead began in the pre-hispanic years and was originallycelebrated during the month of August. During the last years of the 15th century and thebeginning of the 16th, Iberian ships reached Mesoamérica and started settling in the area. Theyprogressively introduced the natives to Catholic traditions, often times adapting existingcelebrations. A process of syncretism occurred and the festivity was then switched to thebeginning of November. According to Sandra Luz Mendoza Gutierrez (2006), this change wasbecause of the large peak in farming which allowed sharing of goods between the natives. Day ofThe Dead focuses on gathering family members to celebrate those who have passed away, inefforts to help them guide their spirits to a land of peace and comfort. This paper reports on aninvestigation in which pre-hispanic groups like the Aztecs, Purepechas and Nahuas celebratedDay of The Dead in the 14th century. This allows for a detailed explanation on the various waysin which this pre-hispanic celebration differed from how it is being celebrated now, bringinglight into the significance of some famous characters like, "La Catrina" and "Xoloitzcuintle" andhow they are relevant nowaday.
