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The Mexican embassy is celebrating Dia de los Muertos as they usually do, by constructing an Altar de Muertos at the Mexican Cultural Institute. 

The "Day of the Dead" is one of the most representative manifestations of the cultural heritage of Mexico and one that many people far and wide travel to the Mexico to take part in. Now the Mexican embassy has brought the celebration across the border to Belize. 

This year's ofrenda will be dedicated in memory of the renowned historian Dr. Miguel Leon-Portilla and visual artist/activist Francisco Toledo: Â 

Diego Sapien - Director, Mexican Cultural Institute
"Mexicans have let's say a weird or very familiar way of handling death, we like to celebrate and we like to celebrate many things, and we also celebrate death. This year we're celebrating the life of Dr. Miguel Leon Portilla a very important intellectual in Mexico and Francisco Toledo visual artist and activist who recently died this year."

"Dia de los Muertos has become a very important celebration in Mexico now. It's celebrated the 1st and the 2nd of November usually people put their offering just as you see behind me on the 31st and it stays for a week or sometimes even more. It's celebrated traditionally more in the central part of Mexico in the south but it has become more important in the Northern part of Mexico. Every second of November and 1st of November we go visit the cemetery, we clean the tombs, we have a party at the cemetery, we eat with our dead, there is music there is celebration type of, we have now with cordless speakers, but it's a family celebration, then we come back home and at home we have the altar and we also have elements of what the dead person liked."

"It's a syncretic celebration which means that it's a combination of pre-Hispanic culture and Catholic culture because as many people know the 1st of November is all Saint's day so it's a combination between the two. We want to invite any Belizean or Mexicans too, the Mexican community and the general public of Belize to come and visit and if you have a picture or you want to put something in the altar you're welcome to do it."

"In Belmopan there is also going to be another celebration at the central Patio of the embassy of Mexico there that is going to be only a one day event and your welcome also the people of Belmopan to go and visit we're going to have another offering altar there. There's going to be Mexican drinks served and Pan de muerto so you can join the celebration. It's a family event, it's a free event, So we welcome everybody to join us."

The exhibit runs from October 31st, to November 8th, 2019 and it's open to the public.

Dia de los Muertos is also traditionally celebrated in Belize's hispanic centers, and Orange Walk's Banquitas House Of Culture will present its own Dia de Finados tomorrow from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. The celebration will include a prayer service and candle light procession. The public is invited to bring along photos of their loved ones.