Catholic missionaries readily drew parallels between the Dia de los Muertos and the Catholic holiday All Saints Day. The synthesis of All Saints Day with Dia de los Muertos allowed the native population of Mexico and their descendants to continue practicing their ancestral traditions.
The Dia de los Muertos has widespread popular culture appeal because of the amusing, colorful imagery of skulls and skeletons. Tourists to Mexico enjoy participating in the ceremonies or viewing the parades for entertainment value. The colorful costumes and calacas masks look like a combination of frightening and fun. Many who view the festival as an outsider miss out on the opportunity for personal reflection that the holiday entails. The Dia de los Muertos celebrations offer a chance to honor ancestors: the men and women whose blood flows through our bodies. Similarly, the Dia de los Muertos encourages reflection on social traditions and allows the current generation to appreciate life.
Like most Mexican holidays, the Dia de los Muertos...
For example, according to Miller (2009) [secondary]"Today, people don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives. The wooden skulls are also placed on altars that are dedicated to the dead. Sugar skulls, made with the names of the dead person on the forehead, are eaten by a relative or friend." Other important customs and traditions in Mexico are related to family. The Mexican people
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