Halloween has become a worldwide festivity. Even if most of the world has opted to celebrate the American version of All Hallows Eve others have held on to their own interpretation. Take the Mexicans who celebrate their Day of the Dead on November 2nd.

The Day of the Dead is not a grim and creepy day made up of kids in costumes going from house to house for “trato o truco” (trick or treating.)

In Mexico, death is instead a well-dressed woman, La Pelona, who loves to indulge in the good things in life: food, wine, dancing, and celebration.

And that’s exactly how All Saint’s Day is celebrated in Mexico, friends and family get together around an alter festooned with ribbons, candles trinkets and photos of the dearly departed. The deceased then receives a “regalito”, a precious gift that they coveted in life but never actually possessed, and a toast to their health to try to exorcise the fear of death, (which, paradoxically, is She who loves life above all.)

Here’s La Pelona festooned for the celebration in this “Calavera”, a grotesque representation of death by Diego Rivera: Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central.

Studying other cultures you get to find out all sorts of ways to celebrate All Hallows Eve. Come and find them out at maka!

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