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How to make an ofrenda for Día de los Muertos
An altar for Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his wife Mercedes Barcha, is set up in the studio of their home in Mexico City, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, the annual Mexican tradition of reminiscing about departed loved ones with colorful altars, or ofrendas, is celebrated annually Nov. 1. Garcia Marquez died on April 17, 2014 and Mercedes died on Aug. 15, 2020.
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Fernando Llano
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Each year, Nov. 1 marks the beginning of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in Mexico.
The holiday is a day of remembrance for those who have died. Its origins can be traced to pre-colonial Mexico, when it was believed that the souls of dead loved ones returned to their families once a year so that their lives could be celebrated.
Today, families commemorate the day by creating ofrendas, the Spanish word for offerings that colloquially is used to mean altar for Día de los Muertos.
What goes on an ofrenda?
Ofrendas can be customized to your liking, but many of them have some key elements.
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How to build the ofrenda
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