La Catrina or La Calavera Catrina is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead) holiday, representing the celebration of death and the beauty of life–but do you know her origins?

 

La Catrina has become the “face” of the Dia de los Muertos holiday–but she was not the first! Mictēcacihuātl–the queen of the Aztec underworld was the central figure for anyone who passed on since the Aztec culture. The Aztec celebrated death as a part of the cycle of life, leaving offerings or temporary altars or “ofrendas” intended to assist them on their journey beyond death.  The ofrenda tradition has carried on to present day, a topic I will leave for a later blog entry.

 

The image of la catrina was used in 1947 by Diego Rivera for his now-famous mural, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park in the historic center of Mexico City. The mural depicts Posada’s Calavera Catrina as the central figure, holding a young Rivera’s hand–with the artist’s wife (and important artist), Frida Kahlo just behind. La Catrina is surrounded by important historical figures, indigenous people, and notably–Porfirio Diaz’s wife and daughter.

 

In present day, festival goers link La Catrina to the celebration of el Dia de los Muertos almost seamlessly through the decorated sugar skulls, face paint, and elegant dress they wear, giving a modern nod to the ancient Aztec queen of the underworld, Mictēcacihuātl.

 

Mariana part 1 immerses herself in this celebration, offering us a taste of history in a suspenseful and steamy love triangle. 

Below, you can find a paragraph from the book where the characters are confronted directly with this powerful goddess of the underworld during a ritual…

 

“The music stopped and everyone became silent. All at once, a gush of cold wind floated around us, and the light dimmed. Great production, I thought to myself. The temperature lowered as a tall, slender figure appeared. Guests bowed their heads as she came closer until she stood in the center of the circle. A tall fleshless woman with a skirt resembling serpents appeared wearing a green, heavy feathered plume on her head. I recognized her gaping, skeletal jaw. She was the Aztec goddess of the underworld. It was said that with her jaw, Mictecacihuatl could swallow the stars before dawn so they can’t be seen during the day. She stood there, the lady of the dead. It is believed that she watches over the bones of the dead in the underworld. She looked around with her hollow eyes as everyone stayed kneeled with our heads hung low. “Look at me and stand.” Her controlled voice broke through the air as we all did as she instructed.”

 

READ Mariana 1 A steamy dark romance novel