La Dia de Los Muertos

Skulls. No shortage of them when talking about Dia de Muertos. Spanning three days from our Halloween on October 31st and lasting for two more days, this festival is celebrated in many Latin cultures, but in Mexico, it has special significance. During this time of year, the cemeteries are filled with replicas of skulls, or ‘calaveras’ in Spanish, and grave sites are decorated with Marigolds and  the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. It is a time of remembering the departed with joy, and not in sorrow. When I saw Blue’s image of a skull, I immediately went to the body of work I created while in Oaxaca for the Dia de Muertos celebration. The statue in my photograph marks the grave of a child. Any time one of the “los angelitos” or “little angels” passes on, the head stone is similar to the one pictured here. The cool green caste of my image is a stark contrast to the fiery red of Blue’s rendition. The Game Abides.

In much of the Spanish speaking world, bout especially in Mexico, “La Dia de Los Muertos”, or “The Day of the Dead” is celebrated on October 31st and November 1st and 2nd. This is not a time of mourning but of celebration and ‘Calacas’ or skeletons are commonly displayed during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. Calacas are generally depicted as joyous rather than mournful figures. They are often shown wearing festive clothing, dancing, and playing musical instruments to indicate a happy afterlife. This draws on the Mexican belief that no dead soul likes to be thought of sadly, and that death should be a joyous occasion. This goes back to Aztec beliefs, one of the few traditions to remain after the Spanish conquest. I shot this image in Oaxaca, Mexico during one of these festivals. I felt it was a perfect and respectful follow-up to Blue’s posting of his father’s cremated remains, and the upcoming ceremony to scatter his dad’s ashes on the grave of Blue’s grandmother.