El Día de los Muertos

Bienvenidos…El Día de los Muertos is

perhaps the most popular holiday in Mexico. Families come together to honor their ancestors. The inevitability of death is accepted rather than feared.

When invading Spaniards vanquished the Aztecs, they altered the traditions so it coincided with the Christian celebrations of All Saint’s Day on Nov. 1st and All Soul’s Day on Nov. 2nd. That way, the Spaniards believed, the annual recognition of death wasn’t so profane.

El Día de los Muertos has evolved in Mexico and other Central American countries to include visits to graveyards, where families spruce up sites of deceased loved ones.

Revelers construct ofrendas, the offerings set out for returning souls. The spirits may partake of the altar’s many confections, such as candy skulls, sugar skeletons and sweet pan de muerto (Bread of the Dead).

El Día do los Muertos was resurrected in the United States when Mexican-Americans underwent a cultural reawakening in the early 1970’s. The holidays popularity has since spread to other races and cultures.

RECIPE por… PAN de MUERTOS

Topping: Topping Instructions:Combine ½ c. brown sugar Mix all of the ingredients and set aside.1 T. flour1 t. cinnamon 2 T. melted butter

Ingredients:2 c. Bisquick or self-rising flour4 T. sugar1 egg2/3 c. milk (or more if needed to moisten)2 T. vanilla extractInstructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.Mix all of the ingredients and beat for 1 minute. Pour into a 9x9 baking pan. (You can use shaped pans.) Sprinkle topping over mixture. (You can add sprinkles) Bake 20-25 minutes at 350until brown. Allow time to cool. Cut into pieces and place in a zip-loc baggie.Serve warm with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

RECIPE por… Sugar SkullsSugar Skulls in Mexico sugar skulls are equivalent to valentines in the US.

Ingredients:1 pound powdered sugar3 egg whites (beaten a little)

Preparation:Combine the sugar and egg whites until they make a semi-firm paste. Take the paste and mold skulls out of it. Let them dry for 24 hours. Decorating: For the face use candies, sprinkles, icing, etc. For the hair use grated coconut tinted with

food coloring. Use your imagination and enjoy.

Calaveras para todos en México, las calaveras de azúcar son equivalentes a los ‘valentines’ en los Estados Unidos.

Ingrediantes: 1 libra de azúcar en polvo

3 claras de huevo (batidas un poco) Preparació:

1. Combina el azúcar y las claras de huevo para formar una masa que no esté pegajosa. 2. Extiende la masa y recorta en forma de calavera. Déjala secar al aire durante un dia. 3. Decoraciones: Para la cara, puedes utilizar confites de colors, bolitas de plata, caramelos, colorante...lo

que quieras. Para el pelo, usa coco rallado y teñido con colorante. Usa tu imaginación.

Calaveras

Ahí viene el agua Here comes the water

por la ladera, down the slope,

y se me moja and my skull

mi calavera. is getting wet.

   

La muerte calaca, Death, a skinny skeleton

ni gorda ni flaca. neither fat nor skinny.

La muerte casera, A homemade skeleton

pegada con cera. stuck together with wax.

El Día de los Muertos Glossary

• alabanza-Catholic hymn of praise.

• calaca-In Mexico it refers to the Grim Reaper, a skeleton figure representing death.

• cempazuchitl-yellow marigold which symbolizes death and has a pungent odor.

• La Noche de Duelo- The Night of the Mourning, where there is a candelight procession to the cemetery.

• calavera- skull

• El Día de Difuntos-used synon-ymously with Día de los Muertos.

• hojaldra-sweet bread• ofrenda-offerings set out for the

returning souls• los angelitos- young children who

have died and who are remembered on the feast of All Day Saints’ Day.

• ceras- candles used for the altars and graveyard.

• panteon- cemetery, graveyard.• papel picado- tissue paper cutouts for

decorations.

References• http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/food/

• www.usc.edu/isd/;ocations/ickman/Dead/day_dead_glossary.html

• www.nacnet.org/assunta/dead.htm

• www.dayofthedead.com