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The Day of the Dead (Dia de muertos)/ Mexican Culture/Community

By Margarite Olmos
Posted: 11/21/2024

In 1945, the Nobel-prize-winning poet Octavio Paz became a Mexican diplomat and moved to Paris where he would write his masterpiece, The Labyrinth of Solitude (1950), a collection of nine essays. The book is his analysis of Mexican national character in which Paz claimed that “the Mexican chases after death, mocks it, courts it, hugs it, and sleeps with it. He thinks of it as his favorite plaything and his most lasting love.”

Nowhere is this more evident than in the celebrations around the Day of the Dead, a combination of Aztec ancestor reverence with the Catholic calendar of rituals and traditions in appreciation for the departed. The Dia de Muertos celebration at the Flintridge Center began October 29 with a collaborative ofrenda, an offering of a picture or memorabilia of a departed loved one to add to an altar, and ended on November 2 with a presentation of the history and traditions of the day by Dan Guerrero.

For people not intimately familiar with the celebration, including Latinos like myself whose family and friends never followed the custom, the altar beautifully constructed at the Flintridge center seemed like a festive space of colored flags, pictures, elegantly-dressed dolls, vibrant orange marigolds, candles, water, and bread, but upon closer examination one saw that those dolls were festively dressed skeletons and other decorations were of brightly colored skulls and their images. There were unusual items on the altar as well including scissors, cigars and other things enjoyed by the departed, as we would soon find out.

Dan Guerrero gave an excellent presentation regarding Dia de los Muertos for the Village. The Aztec culture, he explained, believed that departed souls faced a complex journey in the underworld (Mictlan) and had to pass through nine harrowing levels lasting four years to complete. He described each level of the soul’s challenging journey culminating in level nine in which the departed souls meet the Gods of Death to receive their reward of eternal rest.

The custom of creating an ofrenda or offering, also called an altar, is placed in homes, churches, and other community spaces with the intention of honoring the departed with items representing them and summoning their souls to the same. Even the brightly-colored perforated paper (Papel Picado) has a significance as the holes are believed to allow the souls to pass through to reach the ofrenda. And the marigolds are not there by chance. Called the Flor de Muerto, their strong scent draws the departed souls to the ofrenda.

Dan also shared his personal connection to the Day of the Dead tradition. He created the presentation for family and friends after the death of his wife and, after joining the Village, Karen Bagnard asked if he might share the presentation with Villagers and he agreed. His first was in October 2023. Dan spoke of the items he shared at the altar which were placed there in honor of his late wife, scissors for her quilting and a cigar for his late father.

Other Villagers participated with offerings. Bruce Chistensen placed a photo in honor of his late mother, Wayne April, a photo of Dorothy Lawson, and among others Gigi Driessen spoke affectionately of her late husband. Nancy Pine described her late husband and their 50-year marriage and the photo of her late sister.  Local community member Jackie Hernandez stood at the alter with her young daughter to participate in the event and impart the need to remember, respect and reflect on the departed.

A few pictures of dogs were at the altar. and it should be noted that October 27 has been officially recognized in Mexico as Dia de Muertos for pets for the love they bring into our lives and for the many who consider their pets members of the family.

For areas in the United States with large Mexican-American populations, the Day of the Dead is familiar and participation is cathartic and provides solace for persons who have experienced a personal loss.  There were many Pasadena Villagers in attendance for this presentation, and the overall feeling was one of enjoyment in the ability to celebrate the lives that have impacted us. The Day of the Dead is becoming as universal as the other Mexican holiday, 5 de mayo, Cinco de Mayo, but its albeit somber counterpart and reminder that we all share the same fate at the end and hope our loved ones will also celebrate our lives with joy.

And at the end of the presentation. we heard from Alexander Moseley who spoke of his late wife Jaylene Moseley, Flintridge Center’s founder and longtime President who served as Managing Director of Flintridge Foundation from 1986 through 2007 and whose spirit continues to guide the organization. The event was a combined effort of the Pasadena Village, the Flintridge Center, and the Pasadena/Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders (PACTL) who generously provided the space and traditional tamales and champurrado, a chocolate-based beverage, at the end. Pasadena Media captured the event on film.