09/20/2023
La Catrina is an icon of Mexican culture that has long been part of the elements associated with the Day of the Dead, one of the most important traditions of this country. However, its main meaning was not, initially, to serve the purposes of today. The origin of this character goes further, it is even said that she is linked to the Aztec goddess of death, Mictecacihuatl.
La Catrina, which originally took the name "La Calavera Garbancera," was created by the cartoonist and illustrator José Guadalupe Posada in 1910.
The skull was born as a symbol of political protest, mainly because Mexico was going through the dictatorship of Benito Juárez, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada and Porfirio Díaz, where there were many demonstrations due to inequality and social injustice.
It was also a symbol of social criticism on the part of Posada, since the term "garbancero" referred to people who had forgotten all their indigenous Mexican origins to adopt European, mainly French, customs. For this reason, the Garbancera Skull design shows a skeleton only with a hat decorated in French style.
Meaning of the catrina in modern culture: Catrinas have evolved to what we see today as Mexican skulls, becoming a symbol of culture, exalting local culture and honoring its roots.
