AWF Magazine - December 2023.pdf

Los Muertos, the dead, were celebrated by the Aztecas as well as by many other Mesoamerican cultures long before Europeans started coming to the Americas on a regular basis, it was a one month long celebration comprising human sacrifices aiming to appease God Mictlantecuhtli and Goddess Mictecacíhuatl respectively the Lord and Lady of the Underworld: Suffering and sacrifice are pivotal points on Mesoamerican, and more specifically Aztecan cosmogony. Mictlān is no different: A 9 level terrible soul (tonalli) purification to finally achieve the longed-for rest in the presence of Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacíhuatl. When the Spaniards learned about our rituals a slow but steady syncretism started taking place in both people's beliefs and celebrations creating the proper setting point for a new nation to be born. Pairing with All Saints’ Day on 1st of November and All Souls’ Day on November 2nd we believe our early departed relatives will be allowed to come back once a year to celebrate life with us. In our homes, on their tombstones, in the flesh and in the soul. The way to lure them to come is by creating an altar, with the food, the beverages they enjoy the most. Marigold flowers, known here as cempasúchitl (from náhuatl cempôhualxôchitl: "twenty flowers") mark the way the dead ones have to follow in both realms in order to get to the right altar and enjoy the food and the company of their still alive relatives. Also, in the same spirit as trick and treating our disguised children ask in the streets: ¿No me da mi Calaverita? (Won´t you give me my Little Skull?) making reference to the traditional Sugar candy skulls we sell in markets and squares that are used as a gift, usually with the name of the person we give it to as a gift.