A Retrospective: Day of the Dead
My childhood memories of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) hold a special place in my heart. I can still recall the smell of mucbipollo, a traditional Yucatán dish cooked by my abuelita specifically for this occasion, and the scent of candles burning near pictures of her loved ones. Being so young, the faces in the photos were strangers to me. To my abuelita, they were much-loved and missed relatives being kept alive in memory and spirit. As I grew older, abuelita taught me their stories and each year I waited excitedly to welcome our ancestors back to our home.
What is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead is one of the most important celebrations in Mexico, with roots dating back thousands of years. The purpose is to show love and respect to deceased family members and celebrate their life. Colourful displays or ofrendas (altars) filled with food, drinks and flowers invite the spirits of the dead back into the world of the living. Contrary to what is widely believed, Día de los Muertos is definitely not the Mexican version of Halloween!
London Celebrations
It is not only Mexicans and Latin Americans that celebrate this tradition. Day of the Dead transcends cultures and continents. This year, on the 29th of October, London held its own Day of the Dead event which saw bright colours, music and marigolds light up Ossulston Street near King’s Cross and the British Library, where a magnificent ofrenda created by Carmen Mariscal was displayed to visitors. By morning, pop-up stalls were preparing for a wave of joyful families, with adults and children dressed up as calaveras (skeletons) enjoying Mexican cooking and artwork. At one stall, I met a compatriot selling silver jewellery made in the town of Taxco, Guerrero. She had travelled all the way from Belgium just for the event.
Artists were welcomed on the main stage throughout the day, with crowds gathering to watch traditional Mexican folk dancing. A group of children joined the dancers, their faces painted, spinning with excitement as they pretended to hold imaginary skirts. As the night went on, the sound of trumpets and hundreds of nostalgic soaring voices filled the air, all singing along to the Mariachi band as emotional songs reminded visitors of their homeland. The day felt like a devotion to Mexico’s culture and traditions.
My Reflections
As a Mexican woman living in the UK, the feeling of being away from home disappears every year during this celebration and makes me feel closer than ever to family and friends back in Mexico and especially close to the wider Latin American community in the UK. I am determined to keep such traditions alive while living in a multicultural household and have made a personal commitment to expand the knowledge around this beautiful celebration out of love for my culture.
Today, I am in charge of my own ofrenda. However, the pictures are no longer of strangers. My abuelita stares at me while I light up the candles for her and leave pan de muerto (bread of the dead) on the altar and what used to be her favourite drink; a cold cerveza which she would occasionally enjoy. This year, pictures of my English husband’s departed loved ones also sit next to my abuelita. I only hope that this tradition remains intact with future generations and that one day, I will also be part of my children’s and grandchildren’s ofrendas as they embrace what will always be part of them: their Mexican heritage.
