The Dia de los Muertos Term Paper by Nicky

The Dia de los Muertos
An explanation and description of Aztec festivals.
# 145011 | 1,507 words | 3 sources | MLA | 2010 | US
Published on Oct 22, 2010 in Religion and Theology (Other) , Anthropology (South American) , Latin-American Studies (Incan, Mayan, Aztec Empires, up to 1520)


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Description:

This paper describes an Aztec festival, known as Dia de los Muertos, which has in recent years been combined with the Mexican Day of the Dead. It explains some of the traditions involved in these festivals and explains how the Day of the Dead celebration serves as a strong psychological and spiritual function to help family members cope with loss and death.

From the Paper:

''Imagery of skulls (calveras) and skeletons (calacas) pervades a Dia de los Muertos celebration. Parades are common. Individual families will also construct temporary altars for the Day of the Dead. Photos and memorabilia of dead relatives are placed on the altar along with food offerings. Therefore, the Day of the Dead is not a monolithic holiday; it consists of several different celebrations all joined together by a common theme.
''The observed Day of the Dead celebration combined communal and private ceremonies. The events took place in a small city of about 20,000 people in Southern California with a predominantly Mexican population. The town's socio-economic demographic is working class; abject poverty is not evident but buildings are dilapidated and there is little income disparity. Most of the residents of the community work in one of the three major industries nearby including agriculture, wastewater treatment, and light industries.
''The Dia de los Muertos celebrations are for everyone. Age variation is striking and speaks to the essence of the holiday, which is based on the honoring of family lineages and multiple generations. Focus on the continuity of life is a central theme of El Dia de los Muertos.''

Sample of Sources Used:

  • "Dia de los Muertos." AZCentral. Retrieved Nov 30, 2008 from http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/
  • "Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)." Northern Notes. Retrieved Nov 30, 2008 from http://www3.niu.edu/newsplace/nndia.html
  • Herz, May. Day of theDead. Inside Mexico. Retrieved Nov 30, 2008 from http://www.inside-mexico.com/featuredead.htm

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

The Dia de los Muertos (2010, October 22) Retrieved December 10, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-dia-de-los-muertos-145011/

MLA Format

"The Dia de los Muertos" 22 October 2010. Web. 10 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-dia-de-los-muertos-145011/>

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