Pajaro Valley Arts was established as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 1984. Its role in the neighborhood is to foster cultural events and is an integral part of the community. The annual exhibit is centered on Dia de los Muertos. In an effort to learn more about the tradition I made a trip to the gallery which is located in a working-class Latino neighborhood in Watsonville, CA.
The exhibit showcased numerous works of local artists and ofrendas. Ofrendas are altars constructed to honor the deceased and are an important part of the day of the dead celebrations (Herz, n.d.) The altars are very colorful and evoke a sense of joy rather than dread. Often, they are lovingly decorated by family members with flowers, baked goods, candles, photos of the ones being remembered, and sugar skulls.
Calaveras, or skulls, are a mainstay of the Dia de los Muertos celebration. Prior to exploring this tradition I associated the skull imagery death, fear, and Halloween. I learned that Calaveras, in this context of this tradition, are often misunderstood. Their purpose is not to be scary, but rather, symbolic of the physical death contrasting with the beauty of life. Calaveras are also made of sugar and decorated with icing. Shattering the sugar skull and eating the pieces “is a way of showing that you’ve conquered death, if only symbolically” (Herz, n.d.).
The experience of visiting the gallery was amazing. The works of art and historical contexts were beautiful. It made me realize the importance of celebrating culture and its impact on a community. Pajaro Valley Arts provides artistic expression of identity, culture, and beauty. I did not expect to have this experience in a neighborhood I previously thought of as low-income and struggling with gang violence. I realized that these preconceived notions are barriers preventing us from objectively experiencing world. As a social worker, I intend to build relationships and help create on micro, mezzo and macro levels. The National Association of Social Workers (2017) Code of Ethics states in standard 6.01 that “social workers should promote the general welfare of society, from local to global levels, and the development of people, their communities, and their environments…” Being guided by fear only makes it difficult to advance this principle.
References
Herz, M. (n.d.). Inside Mexico. Retrieved from https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-day-of-the-dead-ofrenda-2/.
National Association of Social Workers. (2017). NASW code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
Pajaro Valley Arts (2019). A brief history of Dia de los Muertos for children. [flyer]. Watsonville, CA: Pajaro Valley Arts
Ivan Carnice 