RE: [ranchos] Dia de los Muertos

["Josie T. Trevino" <Josiett3@...>]

Hi Carol!    My first experience with Dia de Los Muertos was in Oaxaca and I was, as you were told by the presenter at the art gallery, one of those people in a bus load of people taken to cemeteries late at night!!  :-)   It was not a scary experience for me mainly because there were a lot of people around and I am not afraid to go to cemeteries; however at that time, I had never been to a cemetery late at night!  A few years later I did spend a couple of nights in a cemetery (IN OUR RV) but that is another story!  Mickey Garcia and I spent Dia de Los Muertos in Mexico last year and we learned that it various places celebrate in different ways......some make it a big celebration while others keep it small.  We did see some beautiful altares and read some great Calaveras in Saltillo.  In Guadalajara we missed the event by one day and they were dismanteling platforms from a previous celebration.  Of course, that is probably all changing as Dia de Los Muertos events become more popular.  Here in San Antonio they do celebrate it and it has also made a comeback in the last five or ten years or so.  When my youngest daughter was a student at the Kansas City Art Institute she made a small alter honoring her grandparents in her apartment when I visited her.  This was back in 1990. I wish I could be there to see how they celebrate it today!    Josie Trevino Trevino in San Antonio, TX

---

From: ranchos@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ranchos@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Carol Turner
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:48 AM
To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ranchos] Dia de los Muertos

DIA DE MUERTOS has made a comeback in the last five
years here 
in Kansas City.  I don't ever remember my
grandparents mentioning this 
to any of us or how they
celebrated in Mexico.  Mattie Rhodes Art 
gallery puts
on quite an exhibit with local artists and small
alters in 
dedication to our ancestors.  They also have
a big party in the street 
with dancing skeletons and
music, food.  I've heard Chicago puts on a 
big parade
now.  A few years ago I went to a slide presentation
here 
at the art gallery.  The presenter told me in the
state of Oaxaca they 
would load up buses of people and
ride out to the cemetery late at night with 
candles,
flowers, food, some people brought guitars to play
music.  I 
asked her if she felt anything while in the
cemetery, I was just curious, she 
said well she wasn't
scared or anything but sensed a presence there but 
a
good presence.  I'm curious but is DIA DE MUERTOS
celebrated in 
every state of Mexico differently? We
also celebrate All Saints day which is 
tomorrow but
it's usually a Mass celebration and prayers for our
deceased 
ancestors.  

Just thought I would share what is going on here in 
KC
and how they celebrate this holiday.  

Carol

--- Joseph 
Puentes <makas@...> wrote:

> 
> Hi Joseph,
> 
>      Here are a few photos from El Paso, taken 
Sat
> 29, in celebration of 
> DIA DE MUERTOS.   I hope 
you can post these for the
> group to see the 
> different ALTARES 
and festivities. 
>      Not only did they 
present these wonderful
> altares but they also had 
> great food 
from the region of Vera Cruz and music
> from northern and 
> 
southern Vera Cruz. We listened to a trio Xoxocapa
> which played sones 
> Huastecos and Huapangos and Los Utrera which played
> sones 
Jarochos 
> campesinos. These two groups were brought in from
> Vera 
Cruz to perform 
> and delight the croud and boy did they 
ever!!!
>      I hope you consider setting up an 
altar for
> your difuntos and if 
> you do please share with the 
group.    HASTA PRONTO
> 
> Yolanda Medina Perez 
(windrocklili@...)
> 
> 
=============================
> 
> for the Juarez group you can find 
photos in the
> Photos section
> 
> for the Ranchos group you 
can find a folder in the
> links area.
> 
> joseph
>