This year’s celebration will honor women as “leaders, mothers, and mentors” as they’re encouraged to lead the evening’s procession down 8th street to Geno’s Steaks and back down 9th Street. Spend the day in South Philly celebrating your ancestors with an agenda of events planned by La Calaca Flaca, Fleisher Art Memorial’s volunteer committee of Mexican Philadelphians who plan the event from the ground up. Led by artist and art teacher Miranda Blas, the workshop will function like a grown-up version of your elementary school art class with snacks provided and no artistic skills necessary.įleisher Art Memorial, Saturday, Oct. Spend an afternoon in Fairmount Park painting and sipping as you create self-portraits inspired by Frida Kahlo’s “The Frame,” which incorporates the holiday’s signature marigold flowers. Virtual and in-person attendees are welcome to pick up their skulls ahead of time - or try your hands at sculpting one in the kitchen. Learn how to make one with local artist Ivonne Pinto-Garcia and the Philadelphia Folklore Project at this easy-to-follow workshop that will be led in both Spanish and English. to 7:30 p.m.Ī staple of any Día de los Muertos ofrenda, calaveras are ornate sugar skulls that represent the loved ones being celebrated on the altar and the sweetness of their lives. Taller de Calaveritas de Azúcar – Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Workshopįree Library of Philadelphia Culinary Literacy Center, Tuesday, Oct. Looking to celebrate Día de Los Muertos in Philly? We rounded up four days of events inspired by the holiday. Case in point: The Mexican Cultural Center had a hard time finding marigolds for their public ofrenda installation in LOVE Park, which could’ve made the altar less effective. Americans stopped picnicking in cemeteries during the 1800s, and it can be hard to find some ofrenda staples at the supermarket. Events like these, they say, have a twofold objective: to clear up misconceptions about the holiday, and provide Mexican immigrants with a way to keep up with their traditions.Ĭonsul Obrador points to cultural gulfs that make it difficult to celebrate Día de los Muertos exactly as they did back home. Rodgríuez and Obrador are partnering with the city on a themed bike ride on Oct. But it’s mainly about respect and honoring someone who’s no longer with you.” “Halloween is about spookiness and trick-or-treating and fun - not that Día de los Muertos isn’t fun. “The purpose of the days are completely different,” said Ivette Compean Rodríguez, executive director of Philly’s Mexican Cultural Center. Members of Philly’s Mexican community do want to get one thing straight: the holiday is not the same as Halloween. Festivities are traditionally marked by elaborate graveyard picnics, lively processionals, and vibrant ofrendas decorated with sweet bread (to nourish the soul), marigolds (to attract the soul), and salt (to purify the soul). The point of each holiday is similar: to find the beauty that can underlie grief and help the souls of loved ones find peace by remembering what made their lives special. Dozens of centuries and a bout of colonial influence later, these indigenous roots have mixed with Catholicism to create three distinct holidays: Día de los Muertos All Saints Day, which honors children who have died and All Souls Day, which celebrates the lives of perished adults. The origins of Día de los Muertos date back over 3,000 years and are rooted in Aztec lore, where it was believed that honoring ancestors as they crossed between the afterlife and the world of the living would bring a bountiful harvest. ” I’m sure everyone, regardless of race or religion, has a sense of honoring their loved ones.” “We love to share our culture,” he said, inviting people who aren’t necessarily Mexican - or even Hispanic - to join in the celebrations. From setting the theme of Disney’s “Coco” to informing the backdrop for James Bond action scenes, the Day of the Dead is truly becoming a holiday that reaches beyond the Mexican community.Ĭonsul Carlos Obrador of Philadelphia’s Mexican Consulate thinks that’s a positive development. What else should we report on? Fill out the form below.ĭía de los Muertos has been finding its way into more and more U.S. Shoutout to reader Dariana Garcia for suggesting we explain and highlight the beauty of this holiday. This is one in a series of articles based on questions you asked about Hispanic and Latino life in Philadelphia. □ Love Philly? Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |