Abstract
Día de Muertos, Mexican celebration of death, is considered to be a traditional Mexican celebration by most Mexicans. The majority of them believe that the specificity and magnificence of this feast are unprecedented.
Día de Muertos is a product of the syncretism of the Mesoamerican traditions of death rituals and Catholic celebrations of All Saints and All Souls Day. Besides this, it is considered to be a traditional commemorative ritual and the celebration is supported by Mexican nationalists, who perceive it as a symbol of Mexican national identity.
Over the past 30 years, the celebration has evolved dramatically and has been influenced by American holiday Halloween. Despite the fact that Día de Muertos celebration may seem to be uniform, its local versions differ slightly.
The aim of this paper is to describe and analyze the process of the contemporary changes within this celebration and to reveal the causes of its importance in Mexican society influenced by nationalistic discourse. The article is based on my ethnographic researches I did in Querétaro and Mexico City in 2012 and 2014.