Why marigolds, or cempasúchil, are the iconic flower of Día de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead is deeply rooted in pre-Hispanic Aztec rituals blended with Roman Catholic traditions. But many of the indigenous symbols remain, including the vibrant and fragrant marigold.
The musky smell of marigolds, or cempasúchil, were thick throughout Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, and Angie Jimenez couldn't wait for it.
"I love that smell and I love that it just hangs in the air," she told NPR.
Jimenez is the altar coordinator for the cemetery's annual Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, festival and oversees the installations of ofrendas put together by families commemorating their deceased loved ones.
This year, because of COVID-19, that means limiting the number of altars from over 100 to just 80. Still, Jimenez
