September 28, 2006
Dia De Los Muertos
A day acknowledging death becomes a celebration of life.
Written by Gretchen Pressley
An ofrenda is an altar to honor a particular loved one who has died. LUBBOCK – A skeleton, with shadowed eye sockets and sinister grin, hangs from the wall. But unlike traditional Halloween decorations, this skeleton is not trying to scare. He is in fact a delightful participant in a colorful tableau that has been created for the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos.
Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a vibrant festival held to joyously celebrate death, says Tina Fuentes, professor and interim director of the School of Art.
“The holiday shows that death becomes part of life; it is a continuum,” says Fuentes. “It is not scary or unrealistic. Mexican culture actually celebrates death. They acknowledge it and make it a part of their lives.”
Dia de los Muertos, which occurs around Halloween, was started in Mexico, says Jane Bell, director of special projects at the International Cultural Center at Texas Tech. The celebrations and traditions are a melding of Catholic ideology and Native American beliefs.
The celebrations begin six to seven days before Nov. 2. Bell says the streets and cemeteries become a “riot of color,” decorated with cutout paper streamers. Celebrators prepare a special food called pan de muertos, or the bread of the dead. This sweet bread is usually shaped like a calavera, or skull, and sometimes you can find little plastic skeletons inside.
Artwork such as this beautiful tapestry called Truckin' Woman by Janet Ghio will be on display at the International Cultural Center.As with Halloween, the calavera is the main theme of decorating for the event. However, in Mexico the symbol is not morbid; instead, it is usually depicted in scenes performing an “irreverent, life-like pursuit like washing the dishes or making dinner,” Bell says.
As part of the ceremony, family members create an ofrenda, or altar dedicated to honor a particular loved one who has died. The family places the person’s favorite foods and drinks, a picture and symbols of that person on the ofrenda.
“In many of the small towns in Mexico, there is a distinct belief that spirits can return to earth that one day,” Bell said. “But not in any corporal sense.”
The ofrenda is used as a way to lure or entice the spirit. Marigold flowers are placed around the ofrenda so that after the spirits come to earth, the pungent smell of the flowers will act as a traffic sign to help them find their way back to the world of the dead.
On the last day of the celebration, there is a great procession to the cemetery, where the family will spend all evening, and sometimes all night. But this is not a time for mourning, says Bell. The graveyards “glow with candles and campfires” as the ceremony is conducted with music, dancing, laughter and remembrance.
Everyone can't go to Mexico for Dia de los Muertos, so Bell and Fuentes devised a way to bring the celebrations to Lubbock. On Oct. 28, there is a procession that leads not to the graveyard, but from celebration to celebration. The evening will commence at 5:30 p.m. at the International Cultural Center. At 6:30 p.m., the procession will lead to the TTU School of Art. At 7:30 p.m., the crowd will gather at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts. Finally, at 8:30 p.m., the last event of the evening will be at the Buddy Holly Center. Each event will feature Dia de los Muertos artwork, traditional food and music, and a celebration of life.
Featured Experts
Tina Fuentes, professor and interim director of the School of Art, is one of the most well-known Hispanic artists in the country. Her Halloween expertise is of Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, especially regarding the history of Dia de los Muertos, the ofrendas, or altars, and the ceremonies on the last day. She has experienced many of the ceremonies in Mexico and started the Dia de los Muertos art exhibits procession in Lubbock eight years ago. She can be reached at (806) 742-3825 ext. 255 or tina.fuentes@ttu.edu.
Jane Bell, director of special projects for the International Cultural Center, helps plan most events at the International Cultural Center. She is an expert on Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, especially regarding the modern day beliefs, decorations, and objects associated with the celebrations. She has experienced the ceremonies in Mexico and helps organize the Lubbock Dia de los Muertos procession each year. She can be reached at (806) 742-2974 or jane.bell@ttu.edu.
Oct. 28th Dia de los Muertos Procession Schedule
| 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | International Cultural Center | 601 Indiana Ave. |
| 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. | TTU School of Art | 18th St. and Flint |
| 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. | The Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts | 6th St. and Ave. K |
| 8:30 – 10:00 p.m. | Buddy Holly Center | 1801 Crickets Ave. |
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, 806-742-2136
Web layout by Lisa Low