27 October 2019
I’ve always perceived Hispanic culture to have a certain celebratory liveliness that stands in contrast to the subdued and measured expressions of Anglo-Protestant culture. But the perception may be attributed to biases, stereotypes, and other influencing factors growing up in the United States. I decided to address this curiosity in response to seeing decorations and notifications for Dia de los Muertos. Other than my admiration for colorful and festive skull imagery, I knew nothing of the celebration (maybe the assumption that it’s the “Mexican Halloween”). Watsonville and Santa Cruz are holding Dia de los Muertos events from 10/31/29 – 11/2/19 which I plan on attending. However, I found it in my best interest to research the history and significance of such a celebration.
Dia de los Muertos is an event that “celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life” (National Geographic Society). The idea of celebration is something I would not readily associate with death, but rather, mourning and sadness. However, this embrace of death as a natural part of life, is quite cathartic (I would personally not want my passing to cause dread among the living). Dia de los Muertos has roots in both indigenous (Aztec) and Western Catholic traditions. This event is one of many examples of rich and blended cultural manifestations associated with Mexico. I hope to learn more about its significance to the Mexican and Mexican-American people when I attend the city’s annual festivities this week.
References
National Geographic Society. (2012). Dia de los Muertos. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/dia-de-los-muertos/.
Ivan Carnice 