Milwaukeeans celebrate Day of the Dead, encouraging others to remember their loved ones
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- While Halloween has wrapped up, many people are now turning to another holiday: el Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The Mexican holiday has grown in popularity in the United States, in part thanks to Disney's movie Coco.
The holiday dates back thousands of years; it's believed spirits will visit those who put up ofrendas, or altars, on Nov. 1 and 2.
At Mr. Churro Bakery in Milwaukee, they've been baking hundreds of breads for Day of the Dead. Julia Perez explained that their Day of the Dead bread "is a typical cinnamon round cake."
"It's very spongey," with cinnamon and orange.
But the round bread with dough in the shape of bones is not always for you to eat. Instead, the bread is placed on the altar alongside pictures of those who passed away.
"It's really cool getting to see everybody who celebrates it. Because growing up, we weren't huge into celebrating it until my grandma passed away. She's the one who started this business. So, it's cool to celebrate her and have her on the altar and that's really when we started celebrating," shared Perez.
Also celebrating is newly opened Maria's Café in Milwaukee. Their community ofrenda takes up a whole wall, with pictures and messages to the deceased. Owner Maria Ramirez said the holiday "really keeps that loved one alive, or that storytelling alive throughout the years, so they're not forgotten. So once a year, the Mexican tradition is you put an altar together, the loved one's picture or food they really liked, to start that conversation with the new generation."
The items placed on the altars hold special significance as well. A guide on Maria's Café's ofrenda states that marigolds guide the spirits with their color and scents, while candles bring light, hope and guidance. The food (like Bread of the Dead) nourishes and welcomes the return of the spirits, as water quenches their thirst after the journey and salt purifies and helps them rest. The papel picado (cut-out paper), meanwhile, represents the joy of life and the bond between the living and the dead. "It's almost like a puzzle; every little bit comes together to form a picture. We all have a loved one who's passed on and it's not a scary thing," explained Ramirez.
While the holiday has Mexican roots, many people from all backgrounds are now participating in the holiday as a way to celebrate life instead of mourning death.
