Mexico brings Día de Muertos tradition to Makati

The Embassy of Mexico, in partnership with Museo ng Makati and Tahanan Pottery Studio, has launched an exhibition celebrating Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, highlighting the shared Filipino and Mexican tradition of remembering departed loved ones.

The exhibition, themed “A Celebration of Memory and Cultural Connection,” features traditional Mexican decorations, colorful pottery and offerings honoring the dead.

Observed annually in Mexico, Día de Muertos is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Josephine Angela Yu, head of the International Relations Department of the Makati City government, said the exhibition reflects the growing cultural partnership between the Philippines and Mexico.

“For the Makati partnership, this event is exactly the kind of international cooperation that we want to nurture,” Yu said.

The exhibit showcases pottery pieces created by members of the Tahanan Pottery Studio community, including mugs, plates, vases and other decorative works.

At its center is the traditional Mexican ofrenda, or altar honoring the dead, adorned with candles, flowers, food, handicrafts, copal incense and colorful papel picado, or decorative paper cutouts.

Each offering symbolizes remembrance, with items traditionally selected to reflect the personalities and preferences of departed loved ones.

Octavio Vara, cultural attaché of the Embassy of Mexico, explained that the altar symbolizes welcoming the spirits of the departed back into the company of their families.

“The idea there is welcoming once more to the earth. Whether they’re in heaven or in another world, whatever the religion, it is to invite them again,” Vara said.

Rita Gudiño, program director of Tahanan Pottery Studio, emphasized the similarities between Día de Muertos and the Filipino observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

“Even if we have different cultures, we still have the need to honor and remember and continue our connection with our dearly departed. This is something very universal,” Gudiño said.

The exhibition also features pottery created during workshops held on 3, 10 and 17 October in Quezon City, where participants crafted personal tributes to departed loved ones.

Open to the public from 28 October to 8 November, the exhibit aims to strengthen cultural understanding between the Philippines and Mexico through art, remembrance and shared family traditions.