Brazil
What day do Brazilians visit cemeteries to honor the dead?
All Souls’ Day (Dia de Finados)
What is Mexico’s most famous holiday for honoring the dead?
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
What is the Lithuanian name for the day when people honor the dead?
Vėlinės
What is the Latvian term for the time of honoring the dead?
Veļu laiks
What is Bolivia’s main celebration for the dead called?
Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Deceased)
What do many families do to honor loved ones on this day in Brazil?
They clean graves and bring flowers or candles.
What colorful decorative objects are placed on altars during Día de los Muertos?
Sugar skulls (calaveras)
What do families typically do in cemeteries on Vėlinės?
Light candles and visit graves of loved ones.
How do Latvians traditionally honor the spirits during Veļu laiks?
By leaving food and drinks for the spirits.
What do Bolivians prepare to honor the returning souls?
Tables (mesas) with food, drinks, and bread figures (t’antawawas).
What is a common religious practice associated with Dia de Finados?
Attending a Catholic mass or praying for souls.
What is the purpose of an ofrenda?
It’s an altar offering food, photos, and items to welcome spirits.
What time of year is associated with Vėlinės?
Late autumn (November 1–2)
When is Veļu laiks usually observed?
In autumn, during the harvest season.
What unique tradition happens on November 8 in La Paz?
The Ñatitas festival, where people honor skulls decorated with flowers.
How do Brazilian traditions reflect a mix of Indigenous, African, and Catholic influences?
Through combining prayers, offerings, and music in remembrance rituals.
Which two Catholic dates does Día de los Muertos coincide with? (The day and the name of the day)
All Saints’ Day (Nov 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov 2)
What is the older, pagan name for this period of honoring souls?
Vėlių laikas or Vėlių metas
What do families believe happens when they invite spirits during Veļu laiks?
The spirits visit their former homes and bless the living.
What belief about death influences these customs?
That the spirits return to visit the living once a year.
In some Brazilian regions, people celebrate the dead with joyful gatherings. Which Afro-Brazilian religion most influences this?
Candomblé (or Umbanda).
What pre-Hispanic beliefs influence Día de los Muertos celebrations?
The Aztec belief in the cyclical nature of life and death, and honoring ancestors.
How did Christian and ancient Baltic traditions blend in Lithuania’s remembrance customs?
Pagan ancestor worship merged with Christian All Saints’ rituals.
How does Veļu laiks connect to Latvia’s agrarian and nature-based worldview?
It reflects respect for ancestors as guardians of the land and family.
How do Indigenous Andean cosmologies (like Aymara or Quechua) shape Bolivia’s remembrance rituals?
They view death as a transformation where ancestors continue guiding the community.