Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead follows Halloween; the two experiences have become closely linked in the United States. However, their traditions are distinct. In Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos mostly involves going to the cemetery to do altars or leave offerings (such as food, sweets or flowers); the art-making aspect is not as active. Artemio Rodríguez, one of several Los Angeles artists whose work is featured in the exhibit. But here in the United States, Latinos are far from their homeland, they rely more on art to express the occasion. Rodriguez mused on Day of the Dead growing popularity among Americans. I think Day of the Dead makes people remember their love one that are dead, but at the same time, it also makes us more deeply aware of the weakness of life. And it does this in an artistic way that is not gloomy or based on fear. The lesson is to do the best that we can and to be good people because there is a point when we all have to cross to the other side.
In Mexico, there is a festival of Día de los Muertos embodies the greatest expression of both popular Catholicism and the national cuisine. People construct altars in homes and graveyards throughout the country in order to feed the souls of the dead. Church officials recognize two holy days, November 1 as All Saints' Day, in commemoration of saints and martyrs, and November 2 as All Souls' Day, in memory of the faithful departed. According to popular belief, the angelitos (deceased children) return on the evening of October 31 and the adults on the following night, although the dates in local celebrations vary all the way from October 28 to November 4. The feast for the dead originated as a form of ancestor worship, and the clergy were long reluctant to incorporate such pagan practices into the liturgical calendar.