The Day of the Dead celebration is deeply rooted in the ancient Pre-Cuauhtémoc cultures that believed in life after death and a spiritual existence in the cosmos. After the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the remembrance of the faithful departed was primarily observed on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days (November 1 & 2) throughout Colonial Mexico. Today, many Mexican communities north of the US/Mexico border participate in the traditions of Day of the Dead by gathering in cultural spaces to honor and remember their loved ones.