Photos: Dia de los Muertos preparations take place throughout Mexico for the five days before October 31, the final day for honoring lives lost in the country’s drug war
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Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) preparation takes place throughout Mexico for the five days before October 31, the final day for honoring lives lost in the country’s drug war.
The most sacred time in Mexican culture occurs November 1, when the world turns a few days early.
The holiday commemorates the martyrdom of Christ at the hands of Romans, and marks the end of the darkest period in Mexican history.
This year’s celebration takes place on November 1, 2018.
The holiday honors the dead from the nation’s war with the drug cartels that have killed more than 40,000 people and forced the creation of more than 80 prison facilities — and the destruction of 1,700 more — in response.
“It’s very important that we all remember how important the lives of those who were killed during the war are,” said Ana María Salas, a local teacher in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. “We can’t talk about what happened when we are in mourning.”
She believes many families struggle daily, losing members in the drug war.
Many mourners come together during the festivities, to express their shared feelings.
Dia de los Muertos was created in the late 1980s as a means of reconciliation between the government and the Mexican people. It is celebrated by thousands of people in every part of Mexico in a massive event that includes parades, dances and special foods.
The holiday’s roots
The holiday is a celebration of the fallen