Calaca
calaca spanish pronunciation kaˈlaka colloquial mexican spanish name skeleton figure skull skeleton usually human commonly used decoration mexican day dead festival although made year round tracing origin maya civilization mayan imagery calacas frequently shown marigold flower foliage aspect day dead festival calacas generally depicted joyous rather mournful figure often shown wearing festive clothing dancing playing musical instrument indicate happy afterlife draw mexican belief dead soul like thought sadly death joyous occasion go back aztec belief one calaca remain spanish conquest calacas used festival include carved skull mask worn reveler small figure made carved wood fired clay sweet treat form skull skeleton calecas sometimes made wood stone even candy popular phrase among mexican latino personally know someone se lo la llevó la calaca someone died literally meaning calaca took death took guatemala calaca understood death figure bare skeleton represents death implies fear death thus normally utilized joyful image mexican political lithographer josé guadalupe posadas work inspired modern interpretation calaca calacas prominently featured representation deceased animated film book life coco coco main character miguel race time get family blessing turn calaca calacalike figure seen tim burton film corpse bride neil gaimans movie coraline video game littlebigplanet guacamelee tim schafer computer game grim fandango monster high skelita calaveras calaca daughter los esklitos skeleton el tigre adventure manny rivera villain sartana dead calaca command various calacas service calavera cuco la calavera catrina santa muerte