Día de Muertos or “Day of the Dead” is approaching. Each year it's celebrated as a way of remembering and honoring loved ones who have passed, whose spirit lives on through memories, memorials, and so much more.

The holiday serves as a reminder of the eventual arrival of death but is viewed not with an impending sense of worry but with reverence, as the memories of those who have passed on are celebrated and shared. Through marigolds, favored dishes, and cherished celebrations, among other traditions, those who have passed are invited back as a form of family reunion.

To give us personal perspectives of the many ways Día de Muertos can be celebrated, we're sharing stories of remembrance offered up by previous Global Patrón Perfectionists Finalist Rodo Fregoso, Tequila Patrón Brand Ambassador José Luis Gutiérrez Ibarra, and Patrón National Programming & Education Specialist Roberto Núñez Moreno. Read on to learn how they mark the holiday and its meaning in their communities and families.

Q&A with Roberto Núñez Moreno |
Patrón National Programming & Education Specialist

What does Día de Muertos mean to you? To your community? Friends and family?

For me, it’s a day to celebrate my beloved ones that are already gone. It also means a day to celebrate Mexican traditions and my culture. I believe it is the same for my community and friends in México. Here in the US, it can be a day to appreciate the beauty of Mexican culture.

Do you celebrate Día de Muertos? If so, what are some ways you celebrate or recognize it?

Of course! For the last couple of years, I’ve been living outside of México, and the way I celebrate it is by promoting this celebration, by sharing the real meaning behind Día de Muertos. My celebration is usually more personal; remembering the life of my family and friends already in the other life, and cherishing the time we spent together.

Tell us about a tradition around Día de Muertos that’s meaningful to you, or that you’d like to highlight.

The “Altar de Muertos” is especially meaningful to me. I think the Altar perfectly symbolizes the meaning of this day. Of course, there are other traditions like visiting the graveyard, or church or getting symbolic makeup applied, but the altar holds a special meaning for me.

What flavors do you associate with Día de Muertos?

The first flavor that comes to my mind is the Pan de Muerto (Death’s bread), with its sweet aroma of orange, and soft, sugary texture; it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The calabaza en tacha (sweet pumpkin) is another classic. Also, I can’t forget the sugar or chocolate skulls! And of course, tequila. With beer and rum, Tequila is one of the most common drinks that you find on the altars of older people.

What would you like people to know about Día de Muertos that they might not?

I like to remind people that this is a celebration. We celebrate a presence, not an absence. The original meaning is that is the only day of the year when those who have passed are welcome again among the living. That’s why we celebrate. Of course, is bittersweet but mainly something to be happy and not sad about.

EN ESPAÑOL

¿Qué significa el Día de Muertos para ti? ¿Para tu comunidad? ¿Para tus Amigos y familiares?

Para mí significa un día de celebración de mis seres queridos. También significa un día de celebración las tradiciones de México, de mi culltura. Creo que para mi comunidad y mis amigos significa lo mismo en México, pero en los Estados Unidos es sobre todo un día de reconocimiento de la belleza cultural Mexicana.

¿Tú celebrars Día de muertos? ¿Cómo lo celebras?

Sí, los últimos años me ha tocado vivirlo fuera de México y lo celebro sobre todo promoviendo este día. Tratando de explicar el sentido original de esta celebración. Pero mis celebración siempre ha sido más interna, recordando la vida de los seres queridos que ya están en la otra vida, y celebrando el tiempo que compartimos juntos.

¿Nos podrías decir alguna tradición del Día de muertos que sea especialmente significativa para ti, o que quieras sobresaltar?

Para mi la más interesante siempre ha sido la elaboración del Altar de Muertos. Creo que simboliza perfectamente el significado de este día. También está el visitar el Campo Santo, o ir al templo, o últimamente pintarte la cara, pero el Altar tiene un lugar especial para mí.

¿Qué sabores asocias con el Día de Muertos?

Creo que el primer sabor que viene a mi mente es el Pan de muerto, con su aroma de naranja y su blanda y azucarada textura, que se antoja al mencionarlo. También está la Calabaza en tacha, y las calaveritas de azúcar o chocolate. Obviamente también el Tequila. Normalmente, en las tumbas de los adultos, puedes encontrar botellas de alcohol, pero especialmente es Tequila, cerveza, o ron por ser las bebidas más comunes.

¿Hay algo que consideras que la gente debería de saber sobre el Día de muertos, y quizá desconoce?

A mí me gusta recordarle a la gente que el Día de Muertos es una celebración. Celebramos la presencia de los muertos que vienen a visitarnos un día al año. Es más presencia que ausencia. Por lo tanto es más gozo que tristeza.

Q&A with “Pepe” aka José Luis Gutiérrez Ibarra

What does Día de Muertos mean to you? To your community? Friends and family?

Día de Muertos means a lot to the Mexican community. Even if you don’t celebrate in a huge and colorful way, it's a time to remember the beloved ones that aren´t with us anymore with lots of love and good memories. For me, my family, and friends this is a tradition that we have to celebrate every single year.

Do you celebrate Día de Muertos? If so, what are some ways you celebrate or recognize it?

I do celebrate Día de Muertos, it is actually one of my favorite celebrations. I remember when I was a little kid my family and I used to go to Mazatlan, a city where my grandfather was born. I never had the chance to meet him because he passed away many years before I was born. We normally go to the graveyard of Mazatlan and clean his grave, we bring him his favorite food, flowers, some beer, and of course tequila. What I like about this are all the colors and families that are together that day. Normally people don’t know that much about the family that they never met, but in my case, I have the chance to hear my grandmother and my mother every year tell me stories about my grandfather, this is the way I've known him since I was a little boy.

Tell us about a tradition around Día de Muertos that’s meaningful to you, or that you’d like to highlight.

The altar is actually my favorite tradition around this day and of course the Pan de Muertos bread and the hot chocolate.

Is there music or a musician you typically associate with Día de Muertos? What is it?

Yeah! Of course, the mariachis, banda and norteños are a huge thing these days but the song that is the most popular is La Llorona. No one is sure who the author is but it was Chavela Vargas who popularized this amazing song. La Llorona is a traditional legend in México and is so popular that now the La Llorona is well known in all Hispanic countries. What I like about this song is that there are many styles around them. Here are the different songs I can share with you (click name to access linked Youtube page):

Chavela Vargas

Angela Aguilar

And finally, the one that we hear in the movie Coco (In Spanish of course) sung by Angelica Vale and Marco Antonio Solis you can find by clicking here.

What flavors do you associate with Día de Muertos?

Chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, pan de Muertos, and traditional Mexican foods obviously are there, and it's amazing because it doesn’t matter the season -- you prepare the recipes that the Muertos liked when they were alive.

What else would you like to share about Día de Muertos? How it’s celebrated? What do people know about it? What do you wish more folks understood?

PI often hear “Mexicans are always looking for an excuse to celebrate and party,” and they are not wrong. We love to look for these excuses anytime. We have been doing this so much that we even lose the fear to celebrate death instead of crying over it. But besides the party, I wish people understood that this celebration is a special moment that helps us to remember not just our family, but also it’s a tradition that comes from many years before the Spanish arrived and has been here since memorial times. I’m so thankful that many people nowadays know more about this beautiful tradition that makes us proud of our country. Thank you!

Q&A with Rodo Fregoso, Patrón Perfectionists Finalist
Guadalajara, Mexico 2019

What does the Día de Muertos mean to you? To your community? Friends and family?

For me and my family, the Day of the Dead is a special day in which we celebrate the memory of our loved ones who have passed on. It is the opportunity to remember them with love and offer a tribute to them. We remember our family, friends and people we once admired.

Do you celebrate Día de Muertos? If so, in what ways do you celebrate or acknowledge it?

Every year between November 1st and 2nd we celebrate it. Days before, we prepared an altar, where we place some elements such as salt, ash, colorful papers, marigolds and various flowers, candles, water, bread of the dead, foods that were to the liking of the deceased person, and a photograph of the same. This altar can be made in the home of the deceased person, in your own home, in any public space that is permitted, or in schools, and offices, among others.

Another way to celebrate it is to go to the cemetery where the remains of our loved one rest to clean the graves, decorate with flowers, photographs, and religious elements, and have the whole family share the experiences we had with that loved one.

In school, they teach us the tradition, and when the day arrives, as a tribute we make altars for characters in Mexican history who have passed away.

Tell us about a tradition around the Día de Muertos that is meaningful to you or that you would like to highlight.

The Day of the Dead as we know it now is a mixture of our indigenous culture and European culture (Christianity), however, our ancestors had a very different concept of death than ours, they did not talk about heaven and hell like now they were not afraid of dying, they said that death was the beginning of a new one in Mictlán, where people who died, lived together in peace and tranquility among themselves, waiting for the moment to receive us, the living.

It is said that the Day of the Dead is the only day where there is a very strong connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead and that offerings are placed on altars to receive the dead who come to visit us. They put water because they come thirsty, and their favorite dishes are presented in case they are hungry.

Is there a musician or music that you normally associate with this celebration? What is it?

String instruments could be associated with the holiday in general, but I would say that the music is more associated with the tastes of the person who passed.

What flavors do you associate with the Día de Muertos?

Orange, mandarin, marigold, orange blossom, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, mole, atoles.

What else would you like to share about this holiday? How is it celebrated? What do people know about it? What would you like people to understand?

According to current tradition, there are different days to celebrate the dead according to the type of death they suffered:

October 28: people who died by murder or tragically

October 30 and 31: children who died in the womb or newborns

November 1: children and young people up to 17 years of age and people who lived (according to religion) an exemplary life.

November 2: The day of the dead is celebrated by the rest and the vast majority.

En Español

¿Qué significa Dia de Muertos para ti? ¿A tu comunidad? ¿Amigos y familia?

Para mí y mi familia el Día de Muertos es un día especial en el que celebramos por el recuerdo de nuestros seres queridos que ya murieron. La oportunidad de recordarlos con amor y ofrecer un homenaje hacía ellos. Recordamos a nuestros familiares, amigos y gente que alguna vez admiramos.

¿Celebras Dia? Si es así, ¿de qué maneras lo celebras o lo reconoces?

Cada año entre el 1 y 2 de noviembre lo celebramos. Días antes preparamos un ALTAR, en donde colocamos algunos elementos como sal, ceniza, papeles coloridos, cempasúchil y flores diversas, velas, agua, pan de muerto, alimentos que eran del agrado de la persona fallecida y una fotografía de la misma. Dicho altar puede ser realizado en la casa de la persona fallecida, en tu propia casa, en algún espacio público que sea permitido o en escuelas, oficinas, entre otros.

Otra manera de celebrarlo es ir al panteón a donde reposan los restos de nuestro ser querido para limpiar las tumbas, adornar con flores, fotografías y elementos religiosos, y tener a toda la familia para compartir las experiencias que tuvimos con ese ser amado.

En las escuelas nos enseñan desde niños la tradición, y cuando se llega el día, a manera de homenaje realizamos altares para personajes de la historia mexicana que ya murieron.

Cuéntenos acerca de una tradición en torno a Dia que sea significativa para usted o que le gustaría destacar.

El día de muertos como lo conocemos ahora es una mezcla de nuestra cultura indígena y la cultura europea (el cristianismo), sin embargo, nuestros antepasados tenían un concepto de la muerte muy diferente al nuestro, no se hablaba del cielo y el infierno como ahora, no le tenían miedo a morir, decían que la muerte era el principio de una nueva en Mictlán, donde las personas que morían convivían en paz y tranquilidad entre ellos esperando el momento para recibirnos a nosotros los vivos.

Se dice que el día de muertos es el único día dónde existe una conexión muy fuerte entre el mundo de los vivos y el mundo de los muertos, y que se colocan las ofrendas en los altares para recibir a los muertos que vienen a visitarnos, que se pone agua porque vienen sedientos, y se presentan sus platillos favoritos por si tienen hambre.

Hay música o músico que normalmente asocias con Dia? ¿Qué es? Si puede vincular a algo, ¡aún mejor!

Se podrían asociar los instrumentos de cuerdas con la festividad en general, pero yo diría que la música se asocia más con los gustos de la persona que murió.

¿Qué sabores asocia con Dia?

La naranja, mandarina, el cempasúchil, el azahar, canela, chocolate, vainilla, café, mole, atole.

¿Qué más te gustaría compartir sobre Dia? ¿Cómo se celebra? ¿Qué sabe la gente al respecto? ¿Qué le gustaría que entendiera más gente?

Según la tradición actual existen distintos días para celebrar a los muertos según el tipo de muerte que sufrieron:

28 de octubre: personas que murieron por asesinato o de manera trágica

30 y 31 de octubre: niños que murieron en el vientre o recién nacidos

1 de noviembre: niños y jóvenes hasta los 17 años y personas que vivieron (según la religión) una vida ejemplar.

2 de noviembre; EL dia de los muertos, se celebra al resto y la gran mayoría.

A special thank you to Rodo Fregoso, José Luis Gutiérrez Ibarra, and Roberto Núñez Moreno for sharing their memories and shining a light on treasured celebrations. For more educational content make sure to check out other Proof Reads and follow us on Instagram @academia_patron. Cheers!