Day of the Dead, Catrinas and Calacas.

Today I want to talk about the calacas, the catrinas and the journey of sensations and emotions that I have had these candles for the day of the dead, a holiday that I met in Mexico.

I start talking a little about the day of the dead: 

He dead It is a holiday to celebrate the life of the family's dead and remind them. The deceased relatives return that night to live with the world of the living and the living make an altar with many elements to remind them of the way home.

In this altar the meal Favorite of the deceased in a small format in mud so that when he returns he can enjoy it, this is a symbolism, but the food is also left, and many have a horse (Chupito) of some alcohol that the family member liked, (sometimes mezcal, tequila or pulque), also has water so that they can drink for the tired of the long trip.

(Photography taken by me in Mixquic 2017, San Andrés de Mixquic)*All photographs below are taken by me.

There is also something that I personally love and it is the cempasúchil flower (Nice name cannot have) This orange flower placed it on the altar and also on the ground, make paths with them so that relatives deceased for color and aroma can remember the way home. 

(THE FLOWER ROAD Cempasúchil).

The altar is accompanied by a photograph in which only the deceased appears and that is at the top of the altar and the chopped paper It symbolizes the joy of that day.

What function do they have the candles this day?

Well, like the flowers Mark the way, and also illuminate it, point out because they arrive from distant places.

They are placed Calaveritas On altar that are sugar, amaranth, chocolate ... sometimes with the name of the deceased and are decoration, so this year we have made these catrinas for our altars.

And almost forget the Bread of the dead, A typical sweet bread of this day and that is delicious! 

Now I tell you what Calaca means, this is what the skeleton calls in Mexico, and the name of Catrina has become well known thanks to José Guadalupe Posada 1912. He created this figure of a calaca called "La Calavera Garbancera" dressed in high class or that dressed in high -class outfits. 'Garbancero' or 'Garber'They were the people who sold chickpeas and denied having indigenous roots pretending to be European.

That is why this figure was born as a social criticism of that time. Then, as I understand Diego Rivera appointed her Catrina, of the word Catrin, who was an elegant and well -dressed man. 

The catrina represents that you are who you are and have more or less wealth to all we have the same end, death. 

Those who know the brand know that Iranti Candles was born in Mexico in 2018. That year in addition to Iranti, my daughter was also born in Querétaro and always try that although we live in Spain she knows Mexican traditions, words and culture since in my view it is super important. Iranti's catrinas were born from the intention of making some candles for the day of the dead of this year in my family, showing my daughter their symbolism and meaning. 

I immediately thought that it was a fantastic way to honor and honor this holiday with Iranti, but ... what happened? The fact is that having already made the collection and making the photographs I did not feel very comfortable for cultural appropriation. I had several weeks of thinking and thinking .... yes, my husband is Mexican, yes my daughter is Mexican, I want him to learn and know about culture, but culture is not mine, it does not belong to me.

So I have decided to get these skulls that I have and not leave them in collection because although I do not become 100% cultural appropriation I do not feel comfortable at all.

I have decided to write these words for how important it is to share them, because it is that when a culture does not belong to us, let's talk about it from respect and share it with love. And also because of how important it is to learn from ourselves and be congruent.

I take advantage to tell you that I am half German, half Spanish. In my family (influencing grandmothers, aunts etc ...) All Saints' Day has always been held.

I did not have a religious mother but I did live the anguish that is lived on November 1 in Spain and as socially it is almost an obligation to be sad. From the age of 11 I met the Celtic and Samhain wheel, since then for me it has been the celebration that has represented me the most, feeling that the year begins for me the night of October 31 to November 1.

I can say that all my belief is based on pagan festivities and because when I arrived in Mexico I ended up fascinated how pagan festivities and their roots are so deep and symbolic, these traditions that make us celebrate, grow and learn.

After questioning everything in my being I have decided to make this blog post, explaining and sharing what I feel, something that is sometimes important to share since it is the only way to learn from it.  

And to finish I share this song of "Destripating the story" of Rodrigo Septién I have discovered today in Spotify: