Day of the Dead

We visited the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center for the first time yesterday.  We wanted to see the new Dia de Los Muertos exhibit.  It did not disappoint.  Apparently, the City of Longmont has a great interest in Day of the Dead and, I believe, this is its 13th year celebrating the holiday.

 

The exhibit consisted of very colorful (of course!) altars, both personal and famous persons, plus created gravesites, most of famous individuals of the Latino community.  There were informational posters in each of the exhibit rooms, from which I learned some new things.  Like why soap and water are part of the display and why marigolds (a flower that I haven't ever really liked in the past) are the flower of choice. 

 

It was also interactive in that guests could write a note to a deceased loved one and hang it from a paper marigold-covered arch.  (I left one for my dad.) 

 

I have liked the art of sugar skulls for many years, but after seeing this art installation, I have an even greater appreciation now that I connect more with the meaning behind the holiday.

 

We can make sugar skulls at the museum on October 20th.  I believe they will be used for an event being held at the museum on Dia de Los Muertos (November 2nd, All Souls Day) that I hope we can attend.  There will be live music and other activities.  I think it will be a blast to actually celebrate the holiday this year.  To that end, I want to create a small "altar" in my dad's honor, just a few things that remind me of him and, hopefully, some marigolds. 

 

In Lafayette, a nearby city to us, there will be an event on October 18th, that includes art and sugar skull decorating.  We have this on our calendar, too.

 

My cousin, Mona, and her husband, Mike, have been into calacas for quite sometime and I believe they may have decorated a bathroom with the art.   I would like to add sugar skulls to our decorating scheme...perhaps just mixed in with our Halloween stuff, but maybe our everyday.  We did buy a sugar skull decorated rubber duckie at Cost Plus World Market a couple weeks ago that is on the counter in our bathroom and will remain there.  Oh, and I do have Skelita Calavares, of Monster High fame!  She will be on display (along with our other collectibles) again one day. 

 

I hope that in addition to celebrating the Samhain holiday, you can incorporate the similar, & deeply-rich in history and tradition, Dia de Los Muertos this year.  There are many books you can find at your local library and bookstores, as well as the volume of information available on the internet.  You may even find that right in (or very near) your own community, there are art displays, sugar skull projects and other group events honoring this day.