Día de Muertos Vocabulary

Angelitos (ahng'-hel-lee-tohs), m. Souls of the little children, literally "little angels."

Ánimas (ah'-nee-mahs), f. Souls. Figures representing souls of the dead.

Calaca (kah-lah'-kah), m. Slang for skull or death.

Calavera (kah-lah-beh'-rah), f. Skull and/or satiric poetry or verses, and mock obituaries published for day of the dead.

Calavera Catrina (kah-lah-beh'-rah kah-tree'nah), f. The name of the most famous skeletal image designed by José Guadalupe Posada.

Calavera Zaptista (kah-lah-beh'-rah zah-pah-tees'-tah), m. José Guadalupe Posada image named after Emilano Zapata.

Cempasúchil (sem-pah-soo'-cheel), f. Marigold flowers - "flower of the dead."

Día de los Ánimas (dee'-ah theh lohs ah'nee-mahs), m. All Souls' Day (November 2nd.)

Día de Todos los Santos (dee'-ah theh toh'-thos lohs sahn'-tohs), m. All Saint's Day (November 1st.)

Día de los Muertos (dee-'ah theh los mwehr-tos), m. Day of the Dead (November 1st & 2nd).

Esqueleto (es-keh-leh-tóh), m. Skelton.

Fiesta (fee-ess'-tah), f. Feast, entertainment, or festival.

Ofrenda (oh-fren'-dah), f. Altar or offering.

Pan de Muerto (pahn-theh-mwehr'-toh), m. Sweet bread prepared for the Day of the Dead.

Papel Picado (pah-pel pee-kah'-tho), m. Cut tissue paper or foil banners; literally, "perforated paper."



Bibliography

Childrens Books

Ancona, George. Fiesta U.S.A. New York: Lodestar Books, 1995.

Ancona, George. Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1993.

Andrade, Mary J. The Vigil of the Little Angels: Day of the Dead in México. San Jose, CA: La Ofreta Review, 2001.

Freschet, Gina. Beto and the Bone Dance. New York: Worzalla, 2001.

Harris, Zoe & Williams, Suzanne. Piñatas and Smiling Skeltons - Celebrating Mexican Festivals. Berekley: Pacific View Press, 1998.

Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Day of the Dead: A Mexican-American Celebration. New York: Holiday House, 1994.

Johnston, Tony. Day of the Dead. New York: Voyager Books, 1997.

Kindersley, Barnabas and Anabel. Celebrations: Children Just Like Me. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 1997.

Lasky, Kathryn. Days of the Dead. New York: Hyperon Books for Children, 1994.

Levy, Janice. The Spirit of Tio Fernando/El Espíritu de Tío Fernando: A Day of the Dead Story/Una Historia del Día de los Muertos. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company, 1995.

Luenn, Nancy & Chapman, Robert. A Gift for Abuelita: Celebrating the Day of the Dead. Flagstaff: Rising Moon, 1998.

Marcos, Subcomandante. The Story of Colors - La Historia de los Colores. Guadalajara: Ediciones Cdolectivo Collejero, 1996.


Magic Windows. San Francisco, California: Children's Book Press, 1999.

Müller, Birte. Felipa and the Day of the Dead. New York: North-South Books, Inc., 2003.

San Vincente, Luis. The Festival of the Bones. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press, 2002.

Winter, Jeanette. Calavera Abecedario: Day of the Dead Alphabet Book. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2004.


Adult Books

Andrade, Mary, J. Day of the Dead Through the Eyes of the Soul. California: La Oferta Review, Inc., 2001.

Berdecio R. & Applebaum, S. Posada's Popular Mexican Prints. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1972.

Carmichael E. & Sayer, C. The Skelteon at the Feast: The Day of the Dead in México. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1992.

Garcia Godoy, Juanita. Digging the Days of the Dead. Boulder: University of Colorado Press,1998.


Gibson, Christopher "Papel Picado; Three Artists Help Revive Hispanic Ephemeral Arts" Tradición Revista Vol. 7 Issue 3 Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2002.


Hunter, Dard Papermaking, the History and Technology of an Ancient Craft. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1978.

Gonzalez, Rafael. El Corazón de la Muerte. Berkeley: Heyday Books, 2005.

Greenleigh, John & Beimler, Rosalind. The Days of the Dead /Los Días de Muertos: México's Festival of Communion with the Departed. San Francisco: Collins Publishers, 1991.


Lenz, Hans El Papel Indígena Mexicano. Secretaría de Educación Pública México, D. F., México, 1948.

Lomas-Garza, Carmen Making Magic Windows: Creating Papel Picado/Cut Paper Art. San Francisco, California: Children's Book Press, 1999.

Merrill, Yvonne, Y. Hands-On Latin America: Art Activities for all Ages. Utah: Kits Publishing, 1997.

Paz, Octavio. The Labyrinth of Solitude: Life and Thought in México. New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1961.

Salinas-Norman, Bobbi. Indo-Hispanic Folk Art Traditions II. Oakland: Piñata Publications, 1988.

Sayer, Chloe. México: The Day of the Dead, An Anthology. Boston: Shambhala Redstone Editions, 1993.


Trenchard, Kathleen Mexican Papercutting: Simple Techniques for Creating Colorful Cut Paper Projects. Asheville, North Carolina: Lark Books, 1998.

Trenchard, Kathleen. Mexican Papercutting. New York: Lark Books, 1998.

Vigil, Angel. ¡Teatro! Hispanic Plays for Young People. Englewood: Teacher Idea Press, 1996.

Westridge Young Writers Workshop. Kids Explore America's Hispanic Heritage. New México: John Muir Publications, 1992.

Websites

www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org




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