It's a playful and somewhat macabre way to refer to skeletons, often used during the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration in Mexico.
Here's a breakdown:
* "Las" is the feminine plural definite article, meaning "the."
* "Calacas" is the plural form of "calavera," which means "skull" or "skeleton."
So, "las calacas" literally translates to "the skulls" or "the skeletons," but it's often used more broadly to refer to the festive representations of skeletons during the Día de Muertos, including:
* Sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar): Decorated sugar skulls that are eaten during the celebration.
* Skeleton decorations: Skeletons and other skeletal figures used to decorate homes and altars.
* Skeletal figures in art and folklore: Representations of skeletons in art, music, and literature.
The term "las calacas" carries a festive and celebratory tone, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and death and the importance of remembering loved ones who have passed away.