Scheib Manor
Calavera Sugar Skull
There is probably no more iconic symbol for Day of the Dead than the skull, or “calavera”. The “calavera” is usually an ornately decorated representation of a skull, often featuring flowers, animals, and other decorations. During the holiday, this imagery is seen everywhere, from Ofrendas, to paper crafts, and even to cartoons on newspapers. In a way, the Calavera has become an embodiment of the holiday itself.
Calaveras are spanish for “skull” and often made as edible or decorative skulls from either sugar (called Alfeñiques) or clay.
La Catrina
One of the most emblematic characters to represent this holiday is La Catrina, a classy skeletal lady that was created by Jose Guadalupe Posada in order to bring elegance and a sense of aristocracy to the celebration. Catrina comes from the word “catrin”, meaning a distinguished gentleman who is well dressed and accompanied by his partner with refined garb to compliment. Skeletal characters like these have a long history in Mexico of serving as a certain criticism over the different disparities between the classes and continue to represent the idea that we are all socially equal.
