Ghost Dances
A Día De Los Muertos Tale Of Two Worlds

Our story begins in a small Mexican fishing village in winter. We set the scene with the introduction of characters and establish a close sibling relationship with our central figures, Maria Elena and Ana.

Everyone joins in dancing and festivities, but Death is ever present, lurking among the villagers. During a traditional dance, Los Viejitos, our beloved Tata passes away. Death comes to take him in a peaceful, almost joyous manner.

Winter turns into spring, and loss into renewal with the bountiful fishing season, and the happy engagement of Maria Elena to her love, Juan. The whole village celebrates this wonderful news and the season of rebirth with a festive dance and maypole. Death reappears and this time claims a young child. The women of the village come together to console the child’s mother.

Again the season changes and summer brings with it renewed happiness as the sisters and villagers prepare for Maria Elena’s wedding. Tata’s widow gives Maria Elena her wedding gown as she laments the recent death of her husband. 

The village continues with wedding celebrations which are cut short by the untimely and tragic death of our heroine, Maria Elena. Ana, who is overcome with grief by the loss of her sister, is consoled by Death himself, who feels compassion and empathy upon seeing Ana’s tears. He assures Ana that Maria Elena is alright, and that her soul has simply moved on to another world. Death leaves a trail of marigolds for Ana to follow which leads her to the Land of the Dead. 

In the Land of the Dead, Ana is reunited with Maria Elena, but she is quickly discovered by Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of the Dead, who says that if she is to stay, she too must die. Death and Ana plead with her to let her live. Ana asks if she can lead the dead back to the Land of the Living for one day of joyous festivities, where the souls of the departed can once again be reunited with the living. Mictecacihuatl grants her request, the dead journey back to the land of the living, and so begins the annual tradition of Dia de los Muertos.