While Halloween is a very popular celebration in the west where people dress up as spooky or fictional characters and children go out trick-or-treating, it’s not much of an affair in the Philippines though there are people who partake in this tradition. When the day of the dead draws near, it’s mostly horror stories and eerie experiences that are often shared between friends. Meanwhile, television shows go out of their way to produce content related to the spooky season. But the main tradition in the Philippines is that every year friends and family gather together to pay tribute to their lost loved ones. This is always held on the 1st of November all the day till the 2nd of the month. However, it is not just a special day but is also collectively known in the country as Undas season because whenever the beginning of November looms near, families prepare to go back to their provinces and visit the graves of their beloved departed. This is why public transportations is filled with people and it’s rather difficult to get a ticket to the provinces late in the month of October. However, remembering lost loved ones isn’t unique to the Philippines. There are other countries who have their own means of celebrating this season according to their culture and tradition. Let’s look at some of these countries and the customs they usually have in celebrating the day of the dead.
Ecuador — El Día de los Difuntos
photo from: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/day-of-the-dead
Ecuador’s El Dia de los Difuntos, also known as the Day of the Deceased, is considered as a public holiday every year. It is a relatively more upbeat celebration than the more quiet El Día de Todos los Santos which is celebrated first on November 1 and mainly focuses on children who have passed away. In this celebration however, friends and family gather around to share food and drinks with each other while reminiscing about their departed loved ones. It is also a time for them to reconnect with their ancestors and remember their roots.
Guatemala — Festival de Barriletes Gigantes
Guatemalans partake in a vibrant celebration come November 1 with the first few days of the month being one of the country’s most delicious and colourful festivities. Festival de Barriletes Gigantes also known as the Festival of Giant Kites takes place in the town of Sumpango where locals come and gather to fly gigantic and extravagant, multi-colored kites. These kites are no ordinary kites as most of them are hand painted and are usually made for 40 days. This tradition is believed to be more than 3,000 years old. Back then, indigenous people regarded kites as tools that allowed them to communicate with their ancestors who had passed away.
Brazil — Dia de Finados
Celebrated every year on November 2, Dia de Finados in Brazil is considered a holiday. Like the countries previously mentioned, this day is meant to honour loved ones who have died. Typically, Brazillians will visit the cemeteries where they will leave offerings such as flowers and light candles for their loved ones. Some of them even sing hymns and pray for the souls of their dearly departed. Meanwhile, others celebrate this day by inviting friends and families for a gathering where they share food and drinks. However, Dia de Finados isn’t really celebrated as a party. Instead, it is a sombre celebration to pray for the dead.
Peru — Dia de los Difuntos
Celebrated every year on November 2, Peruvians with indigenous background believe that this is a day where souls of the deceased visit the Earth which is why much like the countries above, families gather and visit the cemetery in remembrance of their deceased loved ones. The celebration also consists of two parts with the first being held on November 1 and is primarily focused on a large and colourful celebration with feasting. The next day, November 2, is when they would visit the cemetery where their loved ones are buried and would once again partake in enjoying music and food together.
El Salvador — La Calabiuza
La Calabiuza in El Salvador is an indigenous tradition that consists of dressing up as skeletons or characters from mythology that carry torches while parading the streets. The celebration happens on November 1 and is an eerie but powerful celebration of Indigenous mythology. This celebration also rejects Americanized Halloween. In recent times, it is increasingly being regarded as a nationalistic event that rejects the influences of Spanish colonialism within the country. Additionally, costumes in this celebration are far from store bought products as attendees dress up in unique, homemade creations with the use of various face paints and clay masks.
Mexico — Dia de Muertos
Dia de Muertos celebrations in Mexico are considered to be one of the most popular events there is in the country. It is celebrated every year on November 1 and 2. The idea of this celebration, unlike the earlier ones, is that in this celebration, Mexicans welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion with food, drinks, and celebration. On this Day of the Dead, it is believed that the divide between the spirit world and the real world weakens, thus allowing the deceased souls a short time to reawaken and return to the world of the living for a feast that involves drinking, dancing, and playing music. In turn, living family members treat the deceased as honoured guests which is why they leave the deceased’s favourite foods and other offerings on their gravesites. It is also well known that Dia de Muertos festivities include wearing skull masks and eating sugar candy moulded in the likeness of skulls.
Spain — Todos los Santos
On November 1, Spaniards remember the dead. Todos los Santos is also considered as a religious Spanish holiday. Much like the countries above, many Spaniards visit the cemeteries with flowers and offerings but this celebration isn’t as elaborate as the other countries as they don’t really dress up for this nor do they have parties or lively events. However, they do have a tradition during this holiday that consists of eating a huesos de santo (also known as saint’s bones) which is a delicacy made of marzipan that resembles human bones.
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