DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (Day of the Dead) RESOURCES
Note: Dia de los Muertos is actually celebrated on two days: November 1 is Dia de
los Angelitos (Children's Day); November 2 is Dia de los Difuntos (All Souls Day).
- What Do Mexicans Celebrate on the Day of the Dead? (Ricardo J. Salvador)
- Two pages from a book titled Death And Bereavement In The Americas in the
Death, Value And Meaning Series. Includes info about history, how the holiday is observed, its place in the culture of Mexico.
- dia de los muertos (Arizona Republic)
- Articles on history, food. The elements of a traditional altar. Also local events, photos,
and multimedia (art links) sections.
- Los Dias De Los Muertos (North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts)
- Journal article from 1996, with sections on historical and cultural background,
preparations, traditional practices, and suggested activities for students.
- Day of the Dead Background (Sinclair Community College)
- With sections on History, Spiritual Significance, Traditions, Calveras,
Sugar Skulls, Foods, Decorations, Bread of the Dead, and a bibliography.
- Muertos (Alexis Ciurczak, José Rangel, M'Liss Garza)
- Information about this Mexican observance. Includes an archive of the
annual display of ofrendas (altars) at the Palomar College Library, San Marcos,
California, as well as photographs taken in Mexico, links to additional
resources, and images of a few works by the artist José Guadalupe Posada. In English
and Spanish.
- Day of the Dead (MexOnline.com)
- Description and history of the Mexican holiday.
- Misconceptions About the Day of the Dead Celebrations (Inside-Mexico.com)
- Brief list correcting common misconceptions, such as "It is not the Mexican version of Halloween."
- Glossary of Day of the Dead terms ( Barbara Robinson Curator, Boeckmann Center - USC)
- Spanish words in alpha order, with short English definitions.
- The Dead Come to Life in Mexican Folk Art (Mary Jane Gagnier Mendoza, Mexico Connect)
- Essay with photos about dia de los muertos folk art. Sections include: duality in Mexican folk art;
the altars and the role of ephemera; the toymaking tradition; the spirit of posada.
- Making Day of the Dead Altars (Ladislao Loera)
- Discusses purpose of the altar and what the altar should include and could include.
Also: lesson plan for making an altar.
- Make Your Own Day of the Dead Altar (123Holiday.net)
- List of items to use in making an altar.
- Making a Dog Altar (Cat Gonzalez, Mexico Connect)
- Short essay inviting people to celebrate the Days in their own ways, and describing her own
altar to her deceased dog Rosemary.
- Photo Essay: Making the Days of the Dead Altar (Oaxaca Photo Album)
- One photo per page, briefly showing how an altar is made: buying the sugarcane, the golden flower of death,
attaching the flowers, assembling the altar, the completed altar, the altar at night.
Also: 10 Days of the Dead Altars.
And: Days of the Dead Sand Sculptures (Tapetes de Areña).
And: photos of cemetery visits.
- Recipe for Sugar Skulls (Alfeñique de Día de los Muertos) (Gourmet Sleuth.com)
- Detailed instructions with photos.
- Life and Death in Mexico (John Todd, Jr.)
- Photo essay on Mexican death and memorial practices, with emphasis on flowers (including yellow marigolds, or zempasuchil, used on the
Day of the Dead).
- Papel Picado: The Art of Mexican Cut Paper (North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts)
- Background of cut paper art and instructions for how to do it.
- Make a Papier-maché Floral Skull (Juniper Learning)
- Requires wheat paste, plastic dishpan, 9" balloons, Vaseline, newspapers, paint brushes,
acrylic paint, glue; and optionally: glitter, sequins, ribbons, paper flowers, etc.
- Chicken in Pipian Sauce
- Recipe for Pan de Muertos (Bread for All Souls' Day) (Star Chefs)
- Diana Kennedy's recipe from The Art of Mexican Cooking.
On the same site is Zarela Martinez's Pan de Muertos recipe.
- Glossary of Mexican Sweets (Mexican Mercado)
- Alphabetically by confection name, with English description.
- Day of the Dead Mini Unit (Teacherlink - Andrea Pretti)
- For 4th-5th graders. Extensive lesson plan, with background on the Day of the Dead (celebrated from Oct. 31 - Nov. 2),
objectives, materials needs, print and Internet resources, and specific activities.
- Searching for Great Women Artists in History: Lesson Three - Creating an Ofrenda (gender issues for art educators)
- For 6th-8th graders. "After a discussion of the traditional ofrenda [death altar] used in
Dia De Los Muertos, students will plan and begin to create an artwork that
honors the artist they have researched, with inspiration from ofrendas,
using a shoebox as the basis for their work."
- Mexico's Day of the Dead Lesson Plan (TeacherVision.com)
- Simple lesson for grades 3-12. Objectives are to discuss how death is viewed in the U.S.; to compare
and contrast U.S. attitudes toward death with those of Mexico; and
to find the main idea of a paragraph.
- Day of the Dead Letter to a Deceased Pet (Sharen Gendebien, New York State Academy for Teaching and Learning)
- For 10th grade Spanish 3 students. Learn about Day of the Dead, compare and contrast The Day of the Dead with Halloween, write a letter
to a deceased pet in Spanish, etc.
- Lesson Plan: José Posada Drawing and Printmaking (Lauren McGreal, Incredible Art Dept.)
- Lesson plan for middle schoolers for making sketches, prints, etchings
in the style and using the content (skeletons) of Mexican artist José Posada.
- Day of the Dead Booklist (Jennifer McKinney - Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN)
- List of about 30 books about El Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, with title, author, webcat links.
From Elisa Amado's Barrilete: A Kite for the Day of the Dead to Glen Wright's Gold of the Gods and other
Fascinating Tales of Old Mexico. Also a few books for adults, some non-print media, and relevant websites listed. Updated Jan. 2006.
- Children's Books for Days of the Dead (North of Boston Library Exchange)
- List of 6 books, with webcat links.
