CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Bay Staters gathered at Harvard's Peabody Museum to observe Día de los Muertos on Saturday.
Día de los Muertos is also known as The Day of The Dead. Abbie Sandoval-Fócil, an educator at the museum, says the occasion shouldn't be confused with the ghosts and goblins associated with Halloween.
"Usually, it's a week-long festivity, but the most important days are November 1st and November 2nd. Usually, November 1st is to celebrate children who have passed away, and then November 2nd is for everyone else in general."
The long-held Mexican tradition commences on the heels of Halloween and honors those who have died with exhibits, music, food, and drink. Attendees got a chance to learn more about Mexico, participate in craft activities, watch a concert featuring mariachi music and leave messages for departed loved ones on the museum altar.
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"The soul doesn't die," Sandoval-Fócil said. "It's always alive, and every year, on Day of the Dead, it comes back — the souls of loved ones, their spirits come back, and that's why we create an altar."
The holiday is observed every year from Oct. 31 - Nov. 2. According to the tradition, the spirts of children who have passed on can rejoin their families for 24 hours when the gates of heaven open at midnight on Oct. 31. The spirits of adults can visit their relatives the following day. Families prepare for the reunion by preparing meals and decor to help the deceased find their way back to their loved ones.
"So, the flowers of cempasuchil, the fragrance, helps guide them," Sandoval-Fócil said. "The food, the smells, everything is connected to the smells. The music, that is all meant to help guide the spirits to where they're supposed to come visit us. And then the food gives them sustenance to make the journey back to the world of the dead."
WBZ NewsRadio’s Mike Macklin (@mikemacklinwbz) reports.