tht LACKAM A Vrinfi
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Hebrating life through Day of the Dead
November 3, 2004
k into the
nic holiday
ie Muertos, a
0 honor loved
fone but not
tten
a Martinez
tckamas Print
s than 500 years ago,
I? Spanish conquistadors
a what is now Mexico,
¡ountered natives prac-
s ritual that seemed to
ath.
i a ritual the indigenous
tad been! practicing for
■ 3,000 years in which
ored those gone but not
li. Dia de Muertos is a
p the ancient and mod
em embrace in Latin culture. It
is called All Souls’ Day in
English, but it is translated liter
ally as “Day of the Dead.” It is
celebrated on Nov. 2 and,
despite the name, there is noth
ing morbid or sad about it. It is
a happy day of celebration and
remembrance of the departed.
El Dia de Muertos has
evolved in Mexico and other
Central American countries to
include visits to graveyards,
where families spruce up sites
of deceased loved ones.
Revelers construct ofrendas, the
offerings made to deceased
loved ones.
The spirits may not partake
of the altar’s many Confections,
but there are plenty of those not
among the life-disenfranchised
more than happy to devour the
candy skulls, sugar skeletons
and sweet pan de muerto (bread
of the dead).
In order to celebrate this day, They reflect their fear by mock
Mexicans build magical altars ing and living alongside death.
that symbolize the loving dia Living alongside death means
logue between death and life.
that Mexicans have to learn to
The authenticity of this dia accept it within their lives.
logue is represented through the
Death is apparent in every
ofrenda: food, cempazuchitl day life. It is in art and even in
(yellow marigolds), water, children’s toys. It is not respect
papel pieado (colored-paper ed as. it is in other cultures.
designs), velas (candles), copal Children play al funeral with
(incense), and petates (a deco toys that are made to represent
rative rug woven with dried coffins and undertakers.
leaves). Other items such as
Death is laughed at in its
calaveritas de azucar (sugar face. Many euphemisms are
skulls), ojaldras (bread), tequi used for death: la calaca (the
la (liquors), cigarettes, photo skeleton), la pelona (baldy), la
graphs, money, toys, Los santi- flaca (skinny), and la huesada
tos (saints) and other gifts, (bony). There are refrains, say
which individuals have cher ings and poems that are popular
ished during their lifetime, find with the day of the dead. These
their place in the ofrenda.
sayings are burlas and lose
Mexicans react to death with
mourning along with happiness
and joy. They look at death with
GEORGE FOX
the same fear as any other cul
ture, but there is a difference.
meaning when translated. For
example “La muerte es flaca y
no puede conmigo” means
“Death is skinny/weak and she
can’t carry me.”
Calaveras (skulls) are deco
rated with bright colors with
the name of the departed
inscribed on the head. Children
carrying cempazuchitl enjoy
the processions to the cemetery.
At the cemetery, music is
played and dances are made to
honor the spirits.
This is a huge celebration
that every year helps us remem
ber our people, our traditions
and our lives. It doesn’t matter
where it is, Latin people are
going to be there to share their
traditions with the world.
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Norma Martinez Clackamas Print
ic students at Portland Community College celebrated and shared the
»n of Dia de Muertos with their kids and teachers last Monday.
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