The Embassy of Mexico cordially invites the public to the traditional celebration of the DAY OF THE DEAD, on Friday, November 2nd, at the Institute of Mexico in Belize City.

This Mexican tradition combines the beliefs of ancient cultures with those of the Catholic religion.

Mexico has always had its own approach to the concept of death. On the Day of the Dead, the souls of the ancestors are invited to join in festivities including food and dancing. Candy skulls are given to loved ones and funny poems about death are shared.

The indigenous festivity dedicated of the dead was inscribed by UNESCO in 2008, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead, organized by the Mexican Embassy will include:

A painting exhibition by Mar�a del Carmen V�zquez-Poot, and

An "Altar of the Dead" contest between Belizean schools.

The Embassy also will share "tamales" and "Pan de Muerto" for those attending the celebration to be held at the Institute of Mexico in Belize City, on Friday, November 2nd, at 7:00 pm. Entrance is free and open to the general public. White attire suggested.

The exhibition will open also on Saturday, 3rd November.

Schools are invited to organize school trips on Thursday, November 1st and Friday, November 2nd. For more information call the Mexican Embassy at 223-1408 or write to [email protected]

The Institute of Mexico is located at the corner of Newtown Barracks and Wilson Street.

Day Of The Dead Observed

Last night trick or treaters took to the city streets in all kinds of costumed craziness enjoying the fun of the Halloween celebrations. But in the northern communities of the country, they are not so much into Halloween as they are into their tradition called "Day of the Dead" - which is celebrated on the first and second of November.

It's a 500 year old tradition, where it is believed that the souls of ancestors return to join the living, in festivities that include food and dancing.

The Mexican Embassy is hosting an exhibition on the - Day of the Dead- to display the traditional celebration. 7news stopped by to check out preparations.

Marcelino Miranda, Mexican Embassy
"The Mexican Embassy is pleased to invite the Belizean public to attend this cultural presentation on the Day of the Dead. There are different activities that are going to be included in this presentation. One of them is that the Institute of Mexico is going to become a complete full representation of reproduction of Mexican cemetery."

"We are going to have the most representative elements of this celebration in Mexico and I will like to underline that this is not a religious ceremony. It's actually a cultural presentation - it's a cultural heritage that comes from the indigenous people from pre-hispanic times and the religious traditions from Europe."

Monica Bodden
"Tell us a little bit about the history of this tradition?"

Marcelino Miranda
"This tradition was born in ancient pre-hispanic cultures of central Mexico and it is believed that dead and life are part of the same thing. Dead people and death is part of life. It commemorates the annual visit of those friends and family members who have departed - who have passed away and they come once a year to visit the people who are alive. For that you have to prepare and welcome them and this is a reason why people receive those visits with joy and with celebration with happiness and with a party because you are very happy of receiving those and to spend time with them once a year."

"The Mexican tradition includes lots of elements but the most important is the traditional flowers, candles, foods that people prepare and cook at home in order to receive the visit of the dead ones and also music and dance, People go to the cemetery, they throw a party at the cemetery because you are happy of receiving the dead ones and also at home you set up a special altar of the dead."

The exhibition will open on Saturday at the Mexican Institute.

Channel 7