Offerings for the dead: A traditional altar of Mexican people is on display in Ha Noi. — VNS Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— A unique Mexican festival celebrating and honouring the dead is currently on show at an exhibition in Ha Noi.

The worshipping customs and rituals of the Mexican Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) are being displayed and explained for visitors, along with a photography exhibition and an example of a traditional Mexican altar, at the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology on Nguyen Van Huyen Street.

The Day of the Dead is a celebration in which Mexicans remember and honour their deceased loved ones. Though it may sound gloomy or morbid, it is in fact a festive and colourful holiday. Mexicans visit cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend time in the presence of their dead friends and family members.

This event aims to share this important cultural Mexican tradition – which has been declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO – with local people.

The exhibition is a collaboration between the Embassy of Mexico in Viet Nam, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Museum of Ethnology. It will run until November 11. — VNS