As part of the Trauerwoche 2025 initiated by the Trauer Taskforce, held under this year’s theme The Sound of Grief – Trauer macht Töne, we invite you to a very special evening:
Día de Muertos is a Mexican tradition rooted in love, memory, and joyful remembrance. It is the moment when preparations are made to welcome the dead back among the living. For this gathering, we will build a shared altar with offerings of food, flowers, photos, candles, and meaningful objects, adorned with the traditional marigolds that guide the spirits home.
Together, we will prepare tamales, one of the most essential offerings of the Day of the Dead. Their pre-Hispanic origin connects them to corn, the sacred crop from which, according to myth, humanity was created. Wrapped in leaves that symbolize the earth, each tamal becomes a gift of reciprocity between the living and the dead. The cooking will unfold as a collective ritual, accompanied by atole, a warm corn-based drink offered to comfort returning souls.
Once the food is prepared, we will write calaveritas: short, poetic texts or letters addressed to those who are no longer with us. In Mexican tradition, these verses are often humorous or satirical, imagining playful encounters with Death as a way to honor the departed with affection rather than sorrow. Each calaverita will be placed beneath the plate during the meal, keeping our loved ones present at the table.
The evening will be guided by Renata Lira, writer, chef, and culinary expert with over 25 years of experience in Mexican gastronomy. Having trained professionally in restaurant kitchens and worked as a press officer for renowned establishments such as Pujol in Mexico City, she has contributed widely as a food critic and essayist. Renata is also the founder and editor of Atole Newsletter, an independent publication dedicated to food writing.
To take part, simply register here and become part of this shared ritual!
