Night of the Day of the Dead November 3, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Travel & Leisure.trackback
From Hallowe’en (or All Hallow’s Eve), to All Soul’s Day, All Saint’s Day, and the Day of the Dead, this season of the year (just past the Fall Harvest) is a time to give a nod of recognition to the Grim Reaper.
Shrine in Memory of Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo
For more on the history and traditions of Dia de los Meurtos, Day of the Dead, check out Debra’s and Tammy’s recent posts:
* Little Altars Everywhere . . . Dia de los Meurtos (Breathe Lighter)
* Of Skeleton’s and Salsa (AgriGirl’s Blog)
Shrine in Memory of Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo
Within the shrinking global village, celebrations spread from one corner to the next at a rapid clip.
SILENCE!!! . . . I keel you!
This weekend, Village of the Arts, the Gulf Coast’s largest Art Community, celebrates the 7th Annual Dia de los Muertos, a Festival of the Skeletons.
Altars contain the favorite foods and beverages of departed souls
The celebratory activities include: Mexican Music & Food, a Village Community Shrine, a Memory Wall for loved ones, and shrines and altars at art galleries throughout the village.
We went. How could we not?
I created a tribute for the Memory Wall in honor of my dad ~ Shine On!
We wandered in and out of galleries, perusing the art, sipping wine and sangria, tasting food, listening to music, admiring costumes, and enjoying the weather.
Hanging out in the Beaded Forest
The evening’s elements, taken together, coalesced to create the perfect atmosphere for communing with the dearly departed . . .
OMG . . . it’s Joan Rivers!
As well as with fellow travelers still on the path from dawn to death . . .
Those who celebrate Dia de los Muertos also celebrate life and living.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Quote to Ponder: Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma ~ which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ~ Steve Jobs
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Fabulous post, Nancy!
I went to a couple of Day of the Dead celebrations several years ago (I haven’t been for a while now) and the atmosphere was electric! Like you say the costumes and music really played a good part in the evening, and the food was good. I really must try and go next year, if the celebrations are still on over here!
I also love the quote that you ended with.
Thanks, Tom. The flyer for the event included a painting of 9 skeletons wearing sombreros . . . reaching into the center of the table for food and wine.
The caption: Celebrate Life!
Great pictures Nancy for getting the spirit..:) of the celebration!
We enjoyed ourselves so much that BFF stayed out past his traditional bewitching hour . . .
We are getting too old to be “dirty stay ups.” This morning, we feel half dead. Zombified. Like death warmed over. 😯
I hear you! CH and I took a little day trip yesterday, had a glass of wine later than usual and this morning feel just like you.. 😯
It doesn’t take much these days . . .{{ywan}} @_@
I’d never heard that quote…you’re right it does resonate with my post. I think I must steal this quote and make it my FB post since I’m not original enough this morning to come up with my own, lol!
Yes! Steal it, Suzi. Let Steve Jobs do the heavy lifting for you this morning so you can enjoy a second cup of coffee. 😉
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a feast of photographs than this. They taught me more about the day of the dead than I have seen before. It seems to me an exuberant way to remember those characters who dominated our lives and left a great gaping space. Lovely post, Nancy!
Thanks, Kate. I shot “an entire roll of film” at the festival . . . everywhere I looked, I saw another shot to shoot.
The orange dress lady and the one in the big pink hat are so funny!
Aren’t they great? The decorations are more elaborate in most of the galleries than at Christmas in most homes . . . and many are amusing. We had FUN.
Thanks for the shout out! I’ll try to upload some more photos later today.
Excellent! It’s such a colorful celebration of life . . . and death.
Awesome photos, Nancy.
Thanks, Andra. The Village of the Arts is always a fun place to wander about . . . especially fun for the day of the dead.
Now that’s celebrating in style or panache, or gusto -so long live death. It is a rather foreign celebration here in Canada, though with more and more Spanish speaking people from South America and the Caribbean seeking a safe place to raise their family I suspect it will be seen more and more. Great shtufffs the pictures captured, the kind my imagination could get lost in for awhile. Thanks
Thanks, Hudson! We’ve never been to a Dia de los Muertos celebration before. The decorations, costumes, altars, and all the grinning skeletons captured our imaginations too!
Your tribute to you dad is sweet. And the photos are great! The quote you shared at the end is one of my favorite Steve Job’s quotes and I will be sharing with my friends in Facebook.
Excellent! Thanks, Marie. It’s an awesome reminder . . . encouraging us to make the most of this moment.
I like the Achmed caption (Silence! I kill you!!) The photo is a fun one, too…the skeleton in the sombrero looks ready to party. I also like the tribute to your dad that you did.
Great Steve Jobs quote. Blocking out the noise can be hard sometimes, but it is essential.
Thanks, Janna. That skeleton wanted to Par~tay! 😀
Life is a balancing act. Often, it’s difficult to be true to ourselves without alienating others. We stumble and lose our balance as we accomodate “them” and meet “their” expercations. When we tune in, our inner voice, like a GPS, “recalculates” and gets us back on our path after each detour.
I’m thrilled to see your photos! Aren’t the altars just amazing works of art? I read somewhere that many families spend all year collecting the pieces they want to include. I did purchase three small items: a skull incense burner, a sugar skull and a little skeleton playing a guitar. They are very small, and I’ve decided I’m going to take on some of the elements of this festival and “hybridize” what I want to incorporate into my own little memory cabinet. I was so inspired by what I saw. I’m also really pleased to hear that you found a way to honor your dad, Nancy. Thanks, too, for linking my post. That was very nice! 🙂
Sounds like a wonderful way to remember those who’ve gone on before. After reading your comment, I realized I have a “memory cabinet” of sorts . . . with photos of ancestors and artifacts from their lives. Thanks!
Wonderful pictures Nancy. I find the whole celebration fascinating and so Intriguing.
Village of the Arts is always a great place to gather creative inspiration . . . the festival added an interesting exclamation point!