Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos

Date: 

Friday, November 1, 2019 (All day) to Saturday, November 2, 2019 (All day)

Location: 

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue

Each year, the Peabody celebrates the Day of the Dead with a family event and fiesta and a temporary altar that remains on display for the month of November.

Originating with the Aztecs, the Mexican Day of the Dead is a unique blend of Mesoamerican and Christian rituals. The holiday, which is celebrated on November 1 from 4-8pm, All Saints’ Day, is dedicated to adults; November 2 from noon-4pm, All Souls’ Day, is dedicated to children and families.

Traditions vary from region to region, but generally families gather at cemeteries to tend and decorate the graves of their departed loved ones and remember them by telling stories, eating their favorite foods, and dancing in their honor. Many families build altars at home, decorated with flowers and food, especially pan de muerto or “bread of the dead.” A festive and social occasion, the holiday welcomes the return of those who have died and recognizes the human cycle of life and death.

Organized by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

See also: Cambridge, Mexico