Dia de los Muertos Talk At The El Paso Museum Of History

Dia de los Muertos has become a huge thing in the United States. People love the La Catrina makeup and the whole mythology surrounding Dia de los Muertos. A couple of years ago, I found out that the artist who first drew 'La Catrina', Jose Guadalupe Posada, first drew her as a caricature of upper class Mexican ladies who painted their faces with makeup to lighten their skin and emulate wealthy Europeans. Posada was making fun of the ladies, and the upper class in general, who he saw as turning their backs on their native Mexican heritage.

There is a lot more to Dia de los Muertos that you know, and that's where the El Paso Museum of History comes in. They will be holding a discussion about the ancient history of Dia de los Muertos. Dr. Yolanda Chavez Leyva, director of the Institute of Oral History, will be on hand to detail the original celebration which lasted for two months.

Dia de los Muertos has been proclaimed part of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and you can learn more about the indigenous roots of El Dia de los Muertos and the meaning of the sugar skulls and the marigolds that are such a big part of the celebration.