Día de los Muertos: Learning About Death Through Observing and Pitching In.

The chapter explores how young children in the state of Puebla, Mexico are socialized with respect to death by observing and pitching in during the annual celebration for día de los muertos. This chapter focuses on observations made of children's participation in practices related to día de los muertos and their experiences with death as explored through ethnographic interviews of preschool children and adults from the cities of Cholula and Puebla. We found that children were included in all aspects of día de los muertos and participated by hanging out, observing, pitching in, and listening. Parents (and grandparents) viewed this active participation as crucial for children to acquire the skills and traditions necessary to be responsible adults in their culture. The current research provides new perspectives regarding the study of children and death within the field of developmental psychology by focusing on how multiple modes of participation are an integral part of young children's socialization with death.