It’s a bit strange how commercialism can sometimes drive culture and tradition. Think about Christmas and all the tropes that drive us to open our wallets so that our families can have the happiest of Christmas mornings. Or how now it’s normal to see elaborate house decorations for Halloween; ultimately just another reason to spend a buck that wasn’t common just ten years ago. One cultural phenomenon that blows my mind is the Día de Muertos parade in Mexico City — a tradition that a movie imagined and the city later brought to life.
A Grand Celebration: The Mexico City Parade
It’s odd because it feels like a tradition that has always been around. But I learned that after the 2016 Bond film, Spectre, featured a Dia de Muertos parade in Mexico City, city officials made it a reality hoping to attract tourism (which can be good and bad. I write about the potential downfalls of foreign tourism in CDMX in this post). And it has done exactly what it was intended to do. Below we see estimated attendance to the parade based on local sources and media.
The parade has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception and has sparked new interest in a holiday traditionally centered on family and honoring loved ones who have passed. This grand celebration on the streets of Mexico City got me thinking about the more traditional celebrations I had the privilege to attend during my time in Mexico.
Experiencing Día de Muertos Beyond the City
I have been lucky enough to be in Mexico during Dia de Muertos. My first time there, my friend and I decided to get away from the city. We took a road trip to the state of Michoacán to visit the colonial city of Pátzcuaro and the decorations in the small nearby towns.
Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that takes place November 1-2. People from the U.S. often mistake it as a stand-in version of Halloween in Mexico. But it’s not that at all. Sure you may see sugar skulls, people dressed up like La Catrina, and painted faces. But the holiday is about honoring and remembering family that has passed away. Creating ofrendas, altars decorated with marigolds, photos and favorite items and foods of the deceased, is a big part of the holiday. It is about staying connected to your ancestors even in death — not spookiness, horror, scares, or even costumes.
On our Dia de Muertos road trip, there was an air of busyness, celebration, respect, and joy. The altars were beautiful and clearly made with care. And I was surprised when visiting one of the decorated graveyards that a band was playing upbeat, mariachi music. This kept in line with the idea that the holiday is to celebrate and feel connected with the dead. It is not about sadness. It was beautiful and powerful, making me think of those I have lost.
When Culture Meets Commerce: The Future of Día de Muertos
So what does it mean when a festivity dreamt up in a movie becomes a staple in the largest city in North America? What does it mean when we can no longer distinguish between true tradition and ones created to attract tourism and generate revenue? I think it’s ok for holidays and traditions to evolve.
The parade in Mexico City is grand and colorful and fun. This will probably ensure that future generations will continue to heed the celebration with reverie and excitement. And it’s brought a heightened awareness to the holiday outside of the country. But I think with any tradition or celebration, we must remember our roots. We must remember why we do what we do. I think this will be easier in the smaller villages like the one I visited. Places like Mexico City may have to work a little harder at it.
Sources
Cultura CDMX https://cultura.cdmx.gob.mx/comunicacion
Mexico News Daily https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/estimated-2-6-million-turn-out-for-day-of-dead-parade/
