Celebrations of Día de los Muertos promote cultural awareness

November 3, 10:23 PMLA Latino Issues ExaminerLuis Antonio Pichardo

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(c) Luis Antonio Pichardo, all photos

Día de los Muertos, an ancient Latin American tradition lives on in the hearts of many Latin Americans living in Los Angeles. Celebrations throughout the county maintained some sense of tradition in which deceased loved ones were honored with the building of the traditional altar and food or drink offerings.

November 1st, traditionally known as Día de los Inocentes, or Day of the Innocents, was celebrated for those who have had children in their family pass away. November 2nd, or the day better known as Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, was celebrated for adult loved ones who have passed on to the afterlife.

The celebrations normally planned for days such as these generally tend to be festive in nature and culturally expressive. The past events in Los Angeles are no exception.

On November 1st, Día de los Inocentes, Mama’s Hot Tamales, a local restaurant and part of the Institute for Urban Research and Development non-profit organization, hosted an event for the LA Commons and ReMap Los Angeles organizations. Across the street from MacArthur Park, people of all backgrounds attended the event, which consisted of altar-making workshops, educational workshops teaching about Mexican heritage and Día de los Muertos, and art exhibitions. The music of cumbia band Very Be Careful aided in the festive atmosphere.

At the Uncommon Angels event at Mama’s Hot Tamales, several people were also honored for their contributions to the community through efforts in beautifying Los Angeles’ public spaces with art. Organizations being honored included the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, and more. All of the organizations honored at the Uncommon Angels event supported projects that helped improve their community through community involvement.

On November 2nd, Día de los Muertos, the 36th Annual Día de los Muertos Festival was celebrated at the East Los Angeles Civic Center. Live music from various bands filled the cool night air as people strolled through the open-air festival purchasing handcrafted art and t-shirts. Face painting, Latin American food, and information for supporting Self Help Graphics, a local East Los Angeles organization, was available.

Many vendors were present selling various trinkets and artwork while volunteers walked around collecting donations to help support Self Help Graphics, a non-profit organization that promotes Chicano art across various communities. It was even possible to get a freshly screen-printed t-shirt of one’s own liking there while one watched. Volunteers from Self Help Graphics printed t-shirts with various designs as patrons of the event eagerly awaited their customized t-shirts.

Interpretations of Latin American music in the punk, cumbia, reggae, and traditional forms permeated the family oriented atmosphere as children had the opportunity to learn more about their culture and heritage while they participated in the making of shadow puppets and other small art projects. Friends and family lit candles in remembrance of their loved ones, and activists promoted awareness of international issues ranging from the controversial practice of exporting labor to other countries for minimal wages and the brutal killings of women in Ciudad Juarez on the other side of the border. Another prominent issue in the Latino community was also addressed through the use of a young Latina wearing signs protesting budget cuts in the California educational system.

Overall, Día de los Muertos was more of a lively event than a somber pair of days. In Latin American culture, death is not seen as a sad time in a person’s life. Rather it is seen as a time to celebrate one’s time in this world, and in the case of most cultural events, it is used as a time to promote awareness of all types: awareness of heritage and culture, awareness of political and educational power, and awareness of resources in the community.

Día de los Muertos is a time-tested tradition that will never be forgotten by any Latino. It will live on forever in our heart, alongside the beloved memories of our forefathers.