Skulls In Mexican Culture

When October runs around you might see scary images of skeletons in the stores that signifies the arrival of Halloween. What do you think of when you see a skull? The use of skulls or skeletons is probably one of the oldest and most powerful symbols used universally across history. The symbol of skulls is interpreted, and expressed differently depending upon the culture. The skeleton plays a significant role in Mexican culture. It is expressed throughout its history in art, writings, and rituals. Starting with the Aztecs, to present day celebrations, skulls are used throughout the country and can be seen just about everywhere you look.

From the American point of view, or many other modern cultures, the skeleton is revered as something scary

or morbid. In contrast the Mexican views the skull as a symbol of life, a memory of the dead, and even used in fashion. Like most cultural traditions, the practices are deeply rooted and evolve over time. The skull in Mexican culture does exactly that.
During the Post Classic period in Mexican history the Aztecs were established in Mexico. Sacrificial offerings to the gods were given during this time. The remains of the sacrificed were displayed in “skull racks”, and used in ritual practices. The Aztecs and other Meso-American civilizations alike used skulls and displayed them as trophies. Skulls represented death and rebirth. This started the infusion of skulls into Mexican culture.
Then, the Spanish Conquistadores came to Mexico.

The Spanish observed a ritual practiced by the Aztecs, where the natives celebrated death. This may be what is now known as “Dia De Los Muertos”. From the costumes to the makeup the most recognizable practice in Mexican culture is the “Day of the Dead”. As mentioned, the Aztecs seemed to start the ritual by a month long celebration, where the dead were honored and remembered. After the Spanish conquest the ritual was Christianized, and called “All Saints Day”. By the 1960’s the Mexican government made it a national holiday. Today, the holiday is a “happy fiesta during which people celebrate relatives who have died. Houses are decorated with flowers, plants, and skeletons.”(1) The festival inspires people to create skulls, or Calaveras. They are decorated and eaten in tradition. Along with celebrations, skeleton use in art is important to the Mexican

culture.
At the turn of the century one of the most famous artists to use skeletons was Jose Posada.

He used skeletons to depict Mexican society of his time. Posada was a political activist, who used art to reflect the social inequality and injustice of his era. The most famous work was of a skeletal woman called, “Calavera Catrina”. The woman (skeleton) was dressed in fancy clothes and a hat that depicted the upper class. As author Barbara Lewis wrote, “Posada liked to draw skulls and skeletons to show how short life is and to make death seem less serious to the living. In his drawings he showed that whether someone is a peasant or a politician, in death we are all the same. His drawings depicted the poor people and their suffering.(2) Another artist, named Diego Rivera, who was inspired by Posada, also used skeletal images. He took the iconic picture of the skeletal woman and dressed her up calling her, “La Catina”, referring to a rich woman. Today the colorful images are recognized during the “Day of the Dead” ceremonies. Together Posada and Rivera captured the symbolic use of skeletal images. Artists to follow continue to use skulls and skeletons in their art, like Frida Kahlo’s use of skeletons as a central theme. They in essence re-invented the use of the skull to empower the Mexican people by honoring their heritage that was once suppressed by the

Spaniards.
As seen in Mexico’s history and art one can see the impact of the skull on Mexican culture. To the Aztec the skull was used in religious practices that encompassed their beliefs. The Rivera’s and the Kahlo’s used the skull to their political agenda. To the modern Mexican the skull is seen as light-hearted and sort of a whimsical symbol. From the moment of birth, children in Mexico are bombarded with images of skulls, and are encouraged to dance, sing songs, and celebrate with skeletal images. These images are starting to infiltrate into the U.S. with the animated movie, “The Book of Life”. The film features skeletal characters dressed in the same colors and look as in Rivera’s “Catrina”. The movies’ theme is that of most Mexican folklore which examines life after death. This is the main idea that the skull represents in Mexican traditions and culture. Throughout Mexican history what happens in the after-life has been depicted upon the living with the use of skeletons.

Bibliography

Cobb, Allen. Mexico: A Primary Source Cultural Guide. New York, NY. 2004
Lewis, Elizabeth. Mexican Art and Culture. Chicago, IL. Rain, 2004