Learn about el día de los muertos
"El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a day of celebration, particularly for the people in Mexico and Central America, and for many Mexican Americans in the United States. It is a day to honor and commemorate the lives of the dearly departed and to welcome the return of their spirits.
The tradition of the Day of the Dead is rooted in Indigenous and Spanish Catholic ritual customs. Today, this celebration has been increasingly popular among Latinos in the United States. Though many of the traditional elements have remained, the way and where the Day of the Dead is celebrated has changed. However, the unity of life and death continues to be the dominant theme of the art, tradition, and rituals of the annual celebration of the Day of the Dead on Nov. 2, both in Mexico and the United States." (National Museum of the American Latino's Day of the Dead Resources)
Want to learn more? Explore the National Museum of the American Latino's Day of the Dead Resources site for a Learning Kit and selection of Virtual Exhibitions. The New York Public Library features on online collection of The Skeleton Caricatures of Posada for those wanting to learn more about Posada's calaveras. The Mexican Museum in Association with the Smithsonian Museum (San Francisco) and The National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago) both offer online exhibits about Día de los Muertos.
Explore materials on el día de los muertos
Coco (film) by Publication Date: 2017Coco is the magical story of Miguel, a young boy who wants to be a musician and finds himself among talking skeletons in the land of the dead.
Day of the Dead by Publication Date: 2007-08-23This book includes photographs of decorated altars, people's homes, food, and gifts that express the sorrow and joy of the festival.
Day of the Dead/Dia de Los Muertos by Publication Date: 2006-02-01Santiago Melazzini's short moving pictures--flip books--of literally black-and-white and figuratively colorful Mexican life.
Day of the Dead Crafts by Publication Date: 2008-08-01Day of the Dead Crafts is filled with dozens of terrific projects that allow you to participate in the excitement of the holiday while expressing your own creativity.
Day of the Dead in the USA by Publication Date: 2009-06-09Focusing on the power of ritual to serve as a communication medium, Marchi explores the unexpected transformations that occur when the tradition is embraced by the mainstream.
Days of Death, Days of Life by Publication Date: 2005-12-13Kristin Norget explores the practice and meanings of death rituals in poor urban neighborhoods on the outskirts of the southern Mexican city of Oaxaca.
Dia de Los Muertos: A Colorable Book of Poems by Publication Date: 2016-11-01Poetry that focuses on the relationship of magic and mortality, accompanied by images which can be printed and colored, allowing the reader their own artistic process.Día de Los Muertos (film) by
Publication Date: 2022Filmed before a live audience in the "underworld" of The Caverns subterranean amphitheater, Dia de los Muertos! is a high-energy offering to celebrate a wonderful, ancient tradition.
El Corazon de la Muerte by Publication Date: 2005-10-01This is an art book that presents the colorful and magical altars and shrines built to honor the dead in the old Mexican tradition.
Food for the Ancestors: Mexican Celebration of the Days of the Dead (film) by Publication Date: 2006This film discusses the role of religion, food, and popular piety in the origins and development of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in Mexico and in the Mexican American and Mexican immigrant community in the United States.
José Guadalupe Posada : fantasías, calaveras y vida cotidiana by Publication Date: 2014Catalog of a traveling exhibition exploring the work of José Guadalupe Posada, renowned graphic artist and cultural critic, known for using skulls, calaveras, and bones within his drawings and etchings.Papers of Zarela Martinez by
Publication Date: 1920-2013 (inclusive), 1983-2002 (bulk)This collection of the New York City-based restaurateur and cookbook author's papers isn't digitized, but does link out to Martinez's podcast, which includes an episode on Día de los Muertos.
Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead by Publication Date: 2007-01-08Each October, as the Day of the Dead draws near, Mexican markets overflow with decorated breads, fanciful paper cutouts, and whimsical toy skulls and skeletons to honor deceased relatives in a powerful affirmation of life and creativity.
Search for more
Search "Dia de los Muertos" OR ("All Soul's Day" AND Mexico) under the Library Catalog to find more books, films, and archives specifically on the Day of the Dead. Add filters or keywords to narrow down your results. Additional search terms of interest include ofrendas, calavares, or "Mourning customs -- Mexico."
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