El Dia de Muertos
Until this year, I had never been to a Day of the Dead celebration. I only knew about it through what I had read, and the haunting and beautiful images I had seen. The concept of this Mexican based holiday has always intrigued me, so I was excited when I heard that the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh was the site of a Dia de Muertos gathering. I found myself outside my cultural norm and it was so refreshing! I learned what an Ofrenda is. I heard beautiful poetry and music, witnessed my first ever parade of the Catrinas and saw several different dance troupes perform traditional Mexican folk dances. It was moving, and visually stunning. I felt honored to be there.
I believe this is the largest Day of the Dead event ever held in Raleigh, taking place over almost a week span. It was born as a collaboration between the organizers of the Day of the Dead 5K; Angela Salamanca, Natalia Campbell, the Oakwood Cemetery director, Robin Simonton, and Artist Peter Marin. Their vision was an installation piece to celebrate the traditional aspects of the Day of the Dead holiday, and create a space for kids and the community to contribute. “Day of Death celebrates the life of our beloved ones that have passed away. It is a symbol of the way we want to remember them: happy, festive, colorful,” Claudia Velasco, Consul General of Mexico in Raleigh told me. This resonates for me. Grief can be dark, but this celebration allows space for grief and joy to walk side by side. It makes a lot of sense to me. It’s a way to honor your ancestors, and we all have that desire to connect with those who have come before, who have shaped who we are. On this night, the living invite the dead to visit.
“Dia de Oakwood is a Dia de Muertos installation of ofrendas, the traditional centerpiece. To celebrate and honor our ancestors and loved ones, we invite dancers and musicians to perform music that typically plays around these dates. The event was magical and powerful in that the beauty of the tradition was given a perfect platform and because the community was united. It was clear the memory of our loved ones is strong enough to join us in this life.”
Following is a small gallery of images I made. I urge you to click the images for a full screen view.
If you would like to find out more about this holiday, and the event in Raleigh, here are a few links. Some background from Peter Marin. La Catrina history. Day of the Dead history. CBS Sunday morning story about Day of the Dead.
