U.S. #5643
2021 58¢ Day of the Dead – Boy's Skull
Issue Date: September 30, 2021
First Day City: El Paso, TX
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 20
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 35,000,000
Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico and other Latin American countries. While many celebrations include altars to the deceased and visits to cemeteries, several places have their own traditions unique to their communities.
In the Mexican town of Pátzcuaro, families that have lost children set out tables of sweets,f ruits, and candles on November 1. On November 2, they light candles and take boats resembling butterflies to an island cemetery to celebrate deceased adults.
In Ocotepec, families that have lost someone in the past year open their doors to visitors. The visitors bring candles and receive tamales in return. In recent years, some cities see costumed children going door-to-door or asking passersby for candles or money.
Many communities perform traditional dances. In Michoacán, there's La Danza de los Viejitos (The Dance of the Old Men). Young men and boys dressed as old men start walking with canes, then jump and dance energetically. In Oaxaca, there's Danza de los Diablos (Dance of the Devils), which symbolizes African slaves breaking away from their Spanish captors. There's also La Danza de los Tecuanes (The Dance of the Jaguars), which portrays a fight against a fierce beast.
All of these local traditions help make Day of the Dead celebrations unique to their communities.