The creation of altars has been an important part of Día de los Muertos, a festival whose origins are deeply rooted in Aztec beliefs and tied to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, also known as the “Lady of the Dead.” Over the centuries, the holiday became more intertwined with Catholic traditions and shortened from a month-long event to a celebration that’s held in Mexico on November 1 (All Saints’ Day, which celebrates children who have died) and November 2 (All Souls’ Day, which celebrates adults). “I remember as a child every year my mom would make an altar, so when I started living alone a few years ago, I wanted to do the same thing.”
“It’s really important to my family and I that we make an altar to remember relatives who have died,” López Fértor says. As he shows me the altar, which he and his roommate have decorated with bright orange marigolds, painted skulls, flickering candles, bottles of tequila and colorful paper cutouts, he points out photographs of his grandfather, grandmother and family friends who are no longer with us. Every year for the past four years, he has created an altar inside his home to celebrate and remember the lives of friends and relatives who have passed. While many people might view death as a time filled with sadness and grief, for 30-year-old López Fértor, it’s a moment for celebration. Inside he has set up an elaborate altar ( ofrenda) in preparation for Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a multi-day holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and parts of Latin America that honors loved ones who have died. Light envelops the foyer inside Alfonso López Fértor’s home in Guadalajara, Mexico, filling the space with a warm, welcoming glow.
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