The Day of the Dead

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VOCABULARY LIST

El Día de los Muertos - All Souls' Day.

el altar - the altar.

la ofrenda - the offering.

la calaca - the skeleton (colloquialism).

la calavera - the skull.

pan de muertos - All Souls' Day bread.

flor de muertos - All Souls' Day flower.

alabanza - Catholic hymn of praise.

calaca - In Mexico it refers to the Grim Reaper, a skeleton figure representing death.

calavera - Literally, skull; (1)imaginary and satirical obituaries which appear in

newspapers; (2)satirical verses.

calaverada - Tomfoolery; wild behavior.

calaverear - From skull, meaning to live it up or act recklessly.

cempazuchitl - Yellow marigold which symbolizes death; also called zempasuciti..

El Dia de Difuntos - Used synonymously with Dia de los Muertos.

hojaldra - Sweet bread made for the Festival of the Dead.

los angelitos - Young children who have died and who are remembered on the feast of All

Saints' Day.

la Noche de Duelo - 'The Night of Mourning', the beginning of Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, where there is a candlelight procession to the cemetery, in which friends and relatives

bring food and flowers, have a meal there, and decorate an altar to the

deceased.

ofrenda - Offerings set out for the returning souls during All Saints' and All Souls' Days; it

also often refers to the actual altar with offerings.

pan de los Muertos - 'Bread of the Dead'; slightly sweet bread loaf, with coils of dough depicting bones or skulls baked on top.

rosquete - Sweet bread made for the Festival of the Dead.

Todos Santos - All Saints'Day.

zenpasuchitl - A type of marigold, bright orange and yellow, that is the traditional flower of the

dead. Also cempasuichil.

Tumbas - graves, tombs.

The Days of the Dead

The Days of the...