A couple weeks ago we returned from Arizona. I was fortunate to have a three-day workshop followed by a long weekend in the Sonoran desert with my family. An incredible cultural highlight of our visit was participating in a Día de los Muertos celebration, outdoors at the Tucson Museum of Art. Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is celebrated every November in Mexico and by Mexican families and others in the US. It is generally a combination of an ancient Aztec tradition honoring the dead and the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Families who celebrate Día de los Muertos in their homes build an altar called an ofrenda to honor their deceased loved ones, even including pets. Each altar is different, but most include candles, statues or religious icons, and favorite, food, photos, and possessions of the dearly departed.While we missed the big All Souls Procession which was delayed for a week this year and is usually attended by 12,000 people in Tucson, we enjoyed the following on the ofrendas:
Esqueletos y calaveras--skeletons and skulls are symbols of Day of the Dead since Aztec times. Skeletons are not considered scary, rather, humorous reminders of death.
Papel picado--colored tissue paper is cut into traditional designs and strung overhead the celebration.
Calaveras de azúcar--sugar skulls re decorated with intricate patterns of icing or shiny foil and given as gifts.
Candles--light the way for the deceased to find their ways home.
Water--quenches the thirst of the traveling spirits after their long journey back home.
Cempasúchitl--marigolds are the flower of the dead. Known for their bright color and potent smell, these blooms are a common decoration in Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Food and drink--the dearly departed will often find their favorite dishes and drinks awaiting them on the ofrenda. Pan de Muerto is a sweet-tasting decorated bread that is a tradition.
Pictures and personal effects, such as reading glasses, jewelry, or toys are placed at the center of the ofrenda.
Here is our SLIDESHOW (at LINK below photo) of Día de los Muertos celebrations. You will have to click on the link below the picture. Despite trying for over a week to figure how to embed a slideshow, I am still scratching my head. Text is below the slides.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/bluefrogfarm/arizona_favorites
4 comments:
What an interesting celebration to attend. I bet it had a huge impact on Miss Aven. Great pictures. My fav is the skeleton couple. Thanks for taking us on the trip with you!
I'm with Mellifora, loved the skeleton the couple and think they are worthy of becoming a Halloween card....hmmm.
I loved all your pictures, Miss Aven looked very interested but a little cautious. I'm sure she loved all the bright colors and flowers.
Aven will cherish every memory. I love her as the cute little fairy!
She's a lady bug!
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