October 26-27: Celebrate “Día de los Muertos” in Prague

Día de Muertos is a holiday full of colour, skeletons, dancing, music and good cheer.

This tradition is so culturally rich and exceptional that UNESCO included it in the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

You can enjoy the Mexican Souls on 25 and 26 October at the Klementinum Gallery.  There will be a traditional floral altar, guided tours and if you come themed, you can even take part in the Miss Catrina election.
History of Day of the Dead

The ancient indigenous people of Mexico have practiced rituals celebrating the lives of past ancestors for around 3,000 years. The celebration that is now known as Day of the Dead originally landed on the ninth month of the Aztec calendar and was observed for the entire month.

In the 20th century, the month long festivities were condensed to 3 days called The Days of the Dead: Halloween on October 31, Day of the Innocents on November 1, and Day of the Dead on November 2.

La Catrina is one of the most recognizable figures of Day of the Dead, a towering female skeleton with vibrant make up and a flamboyant feathery hat.

The Lady of Death worshipped by the Aztecs protected their departed loved ones, guiding them through their final stages of the life and death cycles. La Catrina which we know today came to be in the early 1900s by controversial and political cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada.

Artist and husband of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, included José’s La Catrina in one of his murals which depicted 400 years of Mexican history. His mural, “Dreams of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park”, includes himself and a young child holding hands with La Catrina, who is dressed in sophisticated garb and a fancy feathered hat.

Plans for Day of the Dead are made throughout the year. Toys are offered to dead children and bottles of alcohol get offered to dead adults.

Most families decorate their loved ones’ graves. It’s said that these specific flowers attract the souls of the dead to the offerings, and the bright petals and strong scent guides the souls from the cemetery to their family’s home.

Info: 

Place: Klementinum, Marian Square, Old Town, Czech Republic
Date: 26.10.2022 – 27.10.2022
Start: 15:00
Price: free of charge