The ritual commemorating the deaths of ancestors has been celebrated in the region for close to 3000 years (Photo: AP)
Cristian Jimenez paints the face of his brother Jose Luis Castillo to resemble a \"calavera,\" or skull face (Photo: AP)
The festival spread to other regions in South America and is also celebrated by Mexicans living in the US (Photo: AP)
The tradition was included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 (Photo: AP)
Girl scout Luna Hernandez, 9, dressed as a \"Catrina,\" or skeleton lady (Photo: AP)
The day has been declared as a national holiday by the Mexican government (Photo: AP)
The figure of a skeleton wearing broad-brimmed hat was first done as a satirical engraving to poke fun at women who pretended to be European by dressing elegantly (Photo: AP)
Most participants paint their face like skeletons as a tribute to the Aztec goddess called 'Lady of The Dead' or Catrina (Photo: AP)