El Día de los Muertos and Halloween; How are they different?? BOO! -Ellen Toubman

I have been thinking about our wonderful costume and candy costume today since I left Blake this morning amidst the entire school of pacmen and ghosts (not to mention other great costumes). Our costumes can be so inspiring and inspired, creative and playful. It's a lot of fun for adults and kids. It's a good excuse for an adult party and people are "allowed" to dress as they please for an evening. The kids (and their parents) love to collect candy. In my neighborhood, we have a lot fun greeting the ghosts, goblins, animals, and other assorted creatures at our door.  I have many fond memories of our own kids counting and sorting their candy each Halloween (October 31). Then there is the trading... Most people in the USA have a fond Halloween memory. For me it is a secular holiday. I think of the fall season; Thanksgiving preparations are around the corner. Halloween allows for creative expression

http://weknowyourdreams.com/halloween.html

as part of the ritual, in a way that is different from other times of the year.  A glance at History.com tells us, "Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. it is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts...Over time Halloween evolved into a secular, community based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes, and sweet treats."

As a Spanish teacher, I am often asked about El Día de los Muertos (November 1st and 2nd) and how is it different. This is an interesting comparison and lends itself well to looking a little below the surface. One way that we can grow to understand other cultures is by understanding our own lens (in this case, Halloween) and then a bit about the how and why of the norm that is different than our own. The main idea of the Day of the Dead, marked

http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/support/dodhistory.html

throughout Latin America,  but associated most strongly with Mexico (nationalgeographic.com), is to honor those who are no longer with us. There are many interesting traditions invoked to make the loved one's homecoming a comfortable one. Some of these traditions include ofrendas (offerings) of foods, gifts, flowers, toys (especially for younger ones), decorations, etc. One of the most iconic images of this special day is the sugar skull or calavera. The spirits of the loved ones are reunited with their families for a brief period. First the children return and then the adults. They enjoy the ofrendas and gifts that the family has left for them. While it is more of a cultural holiday than a religious one, it can be personalized to honor those whom you wish to remember. (source:mexicansugarskull.com)

In order to help us empathize or relate to a cultural norm different than our own, we often compare or contrast. We do this every day in our World Languages and Cultures classes. It's a way to understand and relate to a practice, product or an event that may be different than what we know through our own lens. For sure, Halloween and Day of the Dead coincide within a day of each other on the calendar. Some of the images of the two events might even seem similar. However, from this little glance below the surface, one can see that they have developed different cultural meanings, contexts, and interpretations. As with many cultural norms, it is exciting and interesting to learn about the how and the why. Opening our minds to cultural differences is also a great way to better understand our own cultural assumptions.