Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a time to celebrate lives lived. There’s a long history behind it, involving ancient Meso-American cultures in Central America and Mexico, Spanish Conquistadors, and the Catholic Church. Read more about the history of Dia de los Muertos.
You’ll see a lot of skeletons in Day of the Dead artwork. Why? It depicts the idea that after our bodies die, our spirits live on. When the flesh is gone, the skeleton remains. The skeleton represents the eternal spirit of the individual. Dia de los Muertos art shows skeletons dancing, partying, getting married, generally enjoying their lives (after death).
This short animated film from the YouTube channel Film School Shorts movingly portrays the real meaning of the Day of the Dead.