Tag: Dia de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos inspira un redescubrimiento cultural

Mejor comprensión de la tradición china que era parte de mi niñez
by Yucheng Tang | Posted November 19, 2024

foto por Yucheng Tang
Los bailadores folklóricos celebraron en Meriam Park con coloridos actividades del Dia de los Muertos.

Read in English here.

Al entrar al lugar llamado “The Barn” donde mucha gente estaba reunida para la celebración mexicana del Día de los Muertos el 2 de noviembre, yo no anticipé que tal celebración me haría reconsiderar un festival chino – Día de la Limpieza de las Tumbas – que fue parte de mi propia niñez.

Música latina sonaba a todo volumen al fondo. Niños con caras pintadas de esqueletos bailaban y cantaban con alegría en el escenario. Al lado había una ofrenda comunitaria, adornada con fotos de seres queridos fallecidos; velas; y las flores cempasúchil las cuales se cree que guían a los espíritus en su regreso a casa. read more

Day of the Dead festivity leads to cultural rediscovery

Understanding better the Chinese tradition that was part of my childhood
by Yucheng Tang | Posted November 13, 2024

photo by Yucheng Tang
Folkloric dancers recently celebrated a lively and colorful Day of the Dead at Meriam Park.

How can a day that’s about death feel like a huge party?

When I joined the crowd at The Barn at Meriam Park for a Nov. 2 celebration of Day of the Dead — a Mexican tradition called Día de los Muertos in Spanish — I didn’t expect it to lead me to reconsideration of a Chinese festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, that was part of my own childhood.

Latin music played loudly in the background. On stage, children whose faces were painted like skeletons danced and sang joyfully. Next to the stage stood a community altar, adorned with photos of deceased loved ones, candles, and marigolds — the flower that is believed to guide spirits back home. read more

At the Chico Cemetery, celebrating Día de los Muertos

Families gather to honor a Latin American tradition
by Ulises Duenas | Posted October 29, 2023

photo by Ulises Duenas
An altar at the Chico Cemetery.

Death is universal and inevitable. It’s almost impossible to prevent a loved one’s death from being emotionally painful when it happens. But how a culture or family views death and the passing of a loved one is far from universal.

Día de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a Mexican holiday that came from combining Aztec and Spanish traditions. The focus is on celebrating the lives of those we lost and using food and music to give them a good time before their souls return to rest. The holiday is all about associating death with feelings of joy and thankfulness rather than with reopening old wounds. read more