EL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is celebrated on the first and second of November. It functions to bring together the living and the dead in communion and celebration. Like bandit heroes, the dead can live again within the imagination—reminding us of our dreams, our failings, and connecting us to all who have come before. For both Mexicans and people of Mexican heritage in the United States and other countries, the celebration combines elements of Christian devotion and Indigenous traditions and beliefs. The celebration synthesizes the Catholic holy days of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, which also take place on those dates, with Indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, especially the festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, who presided over Mictlan, the underworld, and who is known in pre-Hispanic culture as "The Lady of the Dead."
