Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead): The Ofrenda's Significance

Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead): The Ofrenda's Significance

Día de Los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, is a celebratory festival that remembers and honours friends and family members who have died. It is a national symbol in Mexico, taught in schools and celebrated with public holidays. Día de Los Muertos is an important celebration of Mexican indigenous culture and is listed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 
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Día de Los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, is a celebratory festival that remembers and honours friends and family members who have died. It is a national symbol in Mexico, taught in schools and celebrated with public holidays. Día de Los Muertos is an important celebration of Mexican indigenous culture and is listed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The spirits of children are celebrated on the 1st of November, and the souls of adults on the following day. The ofrenda (Spanish translation of 'offering') is a widely recognised symbol of Día de Los Muertos, and this article will talk about the significance and importance behind the items used in an ofrenda. The below image is by Eneas de Troya shows a traditional altar for the Day of the Dead in Milpa Alta, Mexico City.

 
Traditional altar for the Day of the Dead in Milpa Alta, Mexico City.

What is an Ofrenda? 

Ofrendas are altars built by families to honour their dead loved ones. They are full of items with special significance to welcome and provide the souls of family members with everything they need on their journey in the afterlife.  The photograph below is a detail of an ofrenda for Frida Kahlo in the Palacio de Cortez, taken by Rainy City. You will find ofrendas in homes, cemeteries and churches. Ofrendas can have a number of different tiers, depending on local customs. Two levels signify heaven and hell, three levels represent heaven, earth and purgatory, and a seven-layered ofrenda denotes the seven steps a soul has to take to reach heaven. This article will talk about a three-tiered ofrenda. 

 Ofrenda for Frida Kahlo in the Palacio de Cortez

How is an Ofrenda Constructed?

The upper tier recognises the dead person invited to the altar; it features photographs of the deceased and religious imagery, such as figurines of patron saints, the Virgin Mary and crucifixes. 

The second tier has items designed to welcome the dead, including special festive dishes and personal favourite foods. You'll find mole, atole, chocolate and candy, fruits and a sweet bread called Pan de Muerto, a bread covered in sugar. The shape of the dough is special as the overlaid strips represent a skeleton, the knob in the centre denotes a skull, and the other pieces are the bones. An ofrenda for adults might include alcohol such as tequila and mezcal or cigarettes if they smoked, and a children's ofrenda would have favourite toys and games.

Photographer Jorge Mendez describes his image below. "Details of a homemade offering in Mixquic town located in the Tláhuac delegation south of Mexico City. Construction of the altar varies between families, but shares with all altars the joy of receiving visits from the spirits of their most beloved relatives."

 These are details of a homemade offering in Mixquic town located in the Tláhuac delegation south of Mexico City. The construction of the altar varies from family to family, but shares with all altars the joy of receiving visits from the spirits of their most beloved relatives.
The bottom tier contains lit candles to illuminate the path of the souls into this world, cups of water to refresh the souls after their long journey from the afterlife, and salt (either in bowls or shaped into a cross) to purify the spirit. There also might be a washbasin, mirror, soap, and a towel for the deceased's spirit to refresh themselves. Copal incense is burned to attract the spirits of loved ones and discourage evil spirits. Marigolds and calaveras (decorated sugar skulls that signify the sweetness of life) are placed throughout the altar. 

The decorations of an ofrenda are representative of the four elements. Lighted candles symbolise the fire element. Water is represented by the cups of water for the spirits to drink. The earth element is represented by the food offerings, as food comes from the earth. Papel Picado is a traditional Mexican paper craft made by cutting detailed patterns into coloured tissue paper. These sheets are strung onto banners during celebrations. Papel Picado for Día de Los Muertos is designed with patterns of skulls, (above photo by Chuchomotas). It is said that the holes in the paper allow spirits to pass through. They represent the element of air because they are lightweight and flutter in the breeze (below photo by Arturo Ochoa).

Why is the Mexican Marigold Significant?

The Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta), known in Mexico as 'the flower of the dead', plays a vital role in the annual festival. Flowers symbolise the brevity of life and are an essential element of the Dìa de Los Muertos ofrenda. Marigolds are used in construction for arches, garlands, wreaths, crucifixes and stars that accompany altars in many regions and to decorate gravesites. It is also thought that marigolds attract the souls of the dead to the altars with their fragrance. Families will often scatter petals forming a path from front doors to where an altar is located within homes or towards cemetery gravesites.
 

Further Reading:

Interested in Learning More? 

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