Día de los Muertos
Jesus Barraza
Photo by Jose Palafox
Silkscreen, 2002
Oakland, CA
21101
Día de los Muertos is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November every year, predominantly in Mexico and some Latin American and Caribbean countries. It is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. During this period, the spirits of the dead are believed to return home and visit their relatives. To welcome them, people build altars in cemeteries and homes and adorn them with cempazúchitls (Aztec/Mexican marigolds), photos of the deceased, candles, papel picado (perforated tissue paper used for decoration), as well as ofrendas (offerings) of food and drink.
The origins of Día de los Muertos are estimated to date back 3,000 years to pre-colonial times and originate from an Aztec celebration dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl (known in English as “The Lady of the Dead”). These Aztec and other Mesoamerican traditions were meant to honor death as a natural part of the cycle of life. During Spanish colonialism, the Catholic Church attempted to erase Indigenous culture, including music, art, language, and religion. The Catholic Church assimilated Dia de los Muertos–originally a Summer holiday–with “All Saints Day” in November. In the mid-1800s, Mexican immigrants brought their Día de los Muertos traditions with them to the United States where they participated in mostly religious and somber ceremonies. In the 1970s, with the rise of the Chicano movement, Dia de los Muertos intentionally evolved to incorporate more Indigenous elements such as building ofrendas, participating in parades, and dressing up in skeleton costumes and face paint, which make up a lot of what we know today.
As we approach the beginning of Día de los Muertos, CSPG remembers the friends, supporters, and artists whose contributions and work have inspired us. Since last year’s Día de los Muertos, tribute, CSPG has lost the following people. We pledge to continue their commitment to a better world.
2023:
Andrew Campbell (1952 – 2023)
Tim Drescher (1941 – 2023)
Kwazi Nkrumah (1954 – 2023) *
Elina O’Lague (1941 – 2023)
Ruth Seymour (1935 – 2023)
Carol Tantau (1945 – 2023)
Peg Yorkin (1927– 2023)
2024:
Pat Allen (1930 – 2024)
Peter N. Carroll (1943 – 2024)
Maya Conn (? – 2024 )
Barbara Dane (1927 – 2024) *
Nora Hamilton (1935 – 2024) *
Peter J. Harris (? – 2024)
Wayne Kramer (1948 – 2024)
David Kunzle (1936 – 2024) *
Reverend James Lawson (1928 – 2024) *
Robert Marshall (? – 2024)
Richard Serra (1938 – 2024)
Alexis Smith (1949 – 2024)
*Honored by CSPG
…and all those who have been killed in the wars, famines, and genocides of the past year.
¡Presente!
If you are in Los Angeles, join Self Help Graphics & Art in their 51st Annual Día De Los Muertos Celebration on Saturday November 2, 2024 from 3pm-8pm for a procession, altars, art vendors, live music and more!
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