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Still Life with Marigold and Golden Pear (+ a symbol of Dia de los Muertos)


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If you're interested, marigolds are one of the most easily recognizable symbols of Dia de los Muertos. (If you saw the movie Coco, they are featured throughout the film.) "Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated from October 31 to November 2. While many Americans believe that this holiday is similar to our Halloween, it's completely different. The festivities were created for people to gather and remember friends and family who have died. Though this sounds like a day of grieving, it’s actually meant to be a day to celebrate the lives of the loved ones who have passed. This holiday is deeply rooted in tradition, with plenty of symbols adorning the ofrendas, also known as altars, that people put together for their deceased loved ones. Flowers in particular play a very large role in the celebration of Dia de los Muertos:

Marigolds
There are many reasons that these vibrant blooms are so heavily used in the annual celebration. It is said that these flowers use their color and scent to guide the spirits to their respective altars during Dia de los Muertos. They're even colloquially known as the 'flower of the dead,' despite being such a bright and cheery bloom. If you visit Mexico or neighborhoods heavily populated with people of Mexican descent during the celebration, you'll likely notice that marigolds are everywhere, in elaborate doorway arches and garlands and adorning the graves of loved ones. Most notably, families stock up on marigolds to decorate the ofrenda (altar) in the home, honoring their family members." [Source]

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