VOCABULARY LIST
El DÃÂa 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...