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Last week while I was on vacation, my Grandmother passed away. She was frail, and ill and ready to be released from this mortal coil. And so it is with both sorrow and contentment that we greet her passing and honor her memory. This means, that for the first time this year, her icon will join Grandpa's on our mantelpiece as we celebrate Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
Día de los Muertos, also known as All Souls or All Saints, is an annual remembrance of those who have passed before us. Primarily celebrated in Mexico, and by people of Mexican heritage, Día de los Muertos is a gift from the Latino heritage dating back to the age of the Aztecs. During this holiday children and infants who have died are remembered on November 1st, while adults are remembered on November 2nd. (Although this is flexible, and varies in practice.) Colorful decorations adorn family burial plots where family members picnic and tell stories; and sugar skulls are bedecked with colored icing and sparkles in a celebration of both life and death.
In our family, we've been practicing Día de los Muertos and All Saint's for the past four years. We open up the living room and haul out the art supplies, inviting friends to create portable memorials to their loved ones and/or to saints both traditional and modern who have guided and inspired. Tracy Zollinger Turner of Tiny Mantras wrote a lovely post about celebrating All Saints in New Orleans. She says:
As I understand it, All Saints Day is about remembering the people no longer with us, who still live under our skin — the ones that we look to for guidance, even if we can only imagine what they might say to us now. I try to think of those people in my own life often, but work and trick or treaters and traffic and phone calls get in the way. Today, I will make a point to remember them, one by one.
Doesn't that sound nice? Wouldn't it be lovely to do that together? Hurrah! We still have time! Here's what I'm suggesting, let's remember the people who's wisdom and laughter have touched us by creating memorials to them for Día de los Muertos. It's easy. Show us a picture of the person you're remembering and post it on your Flickr account. Write a post about someone you love on your blog. Or, you could create your own crafty icon of the saint you adore. Get it online by November 1st, and I'll include it in my Monday morning post for BlogHer on November 3rd. Just email the permalink to moi@magpie-girl.com
Need some help? Kathy Cano-Murillo of the Crafty Chica certainly has the right vibe going over at her place. At Shutter Sisters, Jen Lemen gives us this remembrance of her father (who is still with us...but still, it's a good idea for an alternative portraiture of someone you love and want to recall, don't you think. Hmm...what photo of grandma could you crop?) And Kate at Sweet:Salty once again touches our hearts with her post on remembering the little ones who have left us too soon, too soon. Plus, I have to say my little group of celebrants has done a lovely job making memorials out what my children call "cut, color, and paste" you can find them listed below.
I do hope you'll join in the festivities! I'm looking forward to getting your email with your posts by November 1st. Happy Día de los Muertos!
A Memorial to Rosa Parks (by Paul Chapman)
A Modern Saint: Derrida (by Lindell Alderman)
Infant Loss: Remembering Simeon
Rachelle Mee-Chapman is an alt-minister, mom, and writer blogging at Magpie Girl, and now at contributing at Food Hero and Minti Parenting. She'll send you helpful links and updates if you follower her on Twitter. Thanks for reading!
