The Day Of The Dead: A Step Into Mexican Culture

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For my cultural event, I decided to step into Mexican culture. I have always knew the names of the traditions they celebrated because they became worldwide or Americanize before I was even born, however I have never got to experience it or to understand it first-hand. First, to provide some cultural background of my event; The Day of the Dead originated long before Mexico was even established. The Holiday goes back further than when the Spaniards invaded Mexico in 1519. There was a vast amount of primitive cultures like the Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayans, ect… that swarm the land that is now known as Mexico “for nearly 40 centuries”. Although those were different Hispanic/native cultures, they all shared a common faith, which was the “belief in the afterlife”. They believed when their ancestors died or just people in general, that their “souls carried on to the afterworld”. It was and still today a “celebration of …show more content…
Yet, although these civilizations compromised on this belief, it wasn’t an easy settlement because when the Spaniards came to dominate the Aztecs; the Spaniards wanted to convert them to Catholic beliefs. However, the Spaniards had failed. Given those interesting facts above about Dia de los Muertos, it continues to evolve and make an impact in America. It’s fascinating to see the transformations of how Americans celebrate it as a take of their own and how Mexican-Americans do it as well. To describe my experience, I was totally taken back with awe and amazement about everything. The holiday was taken place in a private setting, which was in a home. So, when families celebrate their love ones at home; they create “altars” to show love and respect to their lost ones. So, when I enter the house of the Correa family it was so colorful and the aroma that