Alexa Esparza - November 20th, 2022

The fall season brings with it the soft plummet of leaves, chilly winds, and cool temperatures. The arrival of autumn also introduces a popular and important annual celebration in Mexico and parts of the US: the Day of the Dead celebration. Except, what is the Day of the Dead? The purpose of the Day of the Dead, celebrated on November 2, is to remember and commemorate loved ones who have passed away. It is also considered the one day of the year when the spirits of the dead visit their living relatives. Communities gather to decorate the tombs of their family and friends with flowers, food, and candles. They remember family members who are no longer with them, reveling in the celebrations of their life, often visiting the tombs of their loved ones late into the night. Belén, a dancer who performed at the Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer (TANA) Day of the Dead celebration, explained, “[The] Day of the Dead is to celebrate…[the life of ] family members, loved ones who have passed…; not so much of their death, but of their life. So you get to celebrate their life in any form you want. It’s beautiful.”

TANA’s Day of the Death community event held this past October 29th on Lemen Avenue in Woodland showcased the talents of different local performers. First, an Aztec dance troupe--dancers of traditional ancient indigenous Mexican music-- demonstrated their meaningful and wonderful dance in honor of the spirits of their deceased loved ones. One of the members of the group pounded away rhythmically at a drum as the others danced to the beat of the drum and seashells used as wind instruments. Their show was unique and memorable. Following the Aztec dancers' presentation, the ballet folklorico dancers took the stage. The folklorico dancers performed multiple pieces; one of the most memorable pieces was a dance titled La Bruja (The Witch) which is a slow-paced dance traditionally danced in beautiful white dresses with candles balanced on the dancers' heads. Their show really was applause-worthy. After the performances that the skilled Aztec and folklorico dancers put on, the Pioneer High and Woodland High Mariachis played a few of the songs from their repertoire, including La Bruja and La Llorona-- another traditional song for the Day of the Dead. Jimena, a young singer, collaborated with the high school mariachis in their performance and also sang three of her own pieces. Besides the dancers, musicians, and singers, the audience also enjoyed the art of a poet and the captivating and heart-stopping show of an amazing fire juggler.

Even though the performances were one of the main attractions, TANA also set up a few different activities and invited businesses and community agencies to set up booths to advertise their products and services. Tacos 911 sold tacos and aguas frescas, and there was a hot dog stand nearby selling street-style hot dogs and other traditional drinks. TANA provided Mexican pan dulce, including pan de muerto, a special type of sweet bread pastry that has bone-shaped pieces of bread on top. They also offered guests coffee, tea, juice, and hot chocolate. Other booths sold creatively made candles with little charms inside and wax melts shaped like corn on the cob, as well as other handmade items. Another popular vendor was a jewelry booth that sold necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry items containing colorful crystals, gems, and geodes. As for TANA’s activities, the organization put out a few tables for younger attendees to do arts and craft projects. There was a table where participants could make their own flexible and mobile cardstock skeletons, as well as a station where attendees could make a cardboard sugar-skull-style mask. They also had a table where people could color pictures of sugar skulls and pan de muerto.

Altars are also one of the key characteristics of the Day of the Dead. Altars are memorial shrines, or ofrendas (offerings), dedicated to the ones people have lost. These structures normally include objects that represent the four elements: water, fire, wind, and earth. To represent water, families will set out a pitcher of water so spirits can have something to drink; candles are set on the ofrenda in order to represent the element of fire. Plates made of clay or clay jars are placed on the altar as well to represent earth, and intricately-cut and brightly-colored paper called papel picado on the altar represents the wind. In addition to the objects mentioned, families add pictures of the deceased and some of the deceased’s favorite things, like their favorite drinks, food, and items representing their hobbies and what they enjoyed in life. Finally, and arguably the most important part of the altar, people add marigold flowers to the ofrenda, which is the traditional flower of this holiday because they are said to guide the spirits back to their families on the Day of the Dead. The TANA community event displayed several altars, all beautifully decorated with pictures of people who had passed and all the offerings their families were presenting to them. Family members and guests alike paid their respects to the people depicted in the photographs, admiring their ofrendas.

Although all the altars were special and unique, there were two that had powerful meanings. YOLO County’s Brown Issues set up an altar in honor of local young men who have died because of gun violence. Above their altar, a big poster read: “Long Live,” in reference to the Brown Issues’ slogan “Long Live Our Jovenes,” or Long Live Our Youth. The other altar that was very moving was the tribute to the victims of the Uvalde Texas school shooting. The altar displayed 19 backpacks, one for each of the students senselessly lost, and two tote bags to honor the protective adults who were also lost to the crime, as well as their pictures, sugar skulls, school supplies, and toys. This memorial was originally displayed at the Heritage Plaza (outside the Woodland Opera House) and organized by Beamer Elementary teacher, Teresa Morales. The beautifully-put together altars seemed to have a deeper shared message, to let these martyrs be the last. The community and the whole country must take action so no one ever has to go through a tragedy like this again.

TANA’s event seemed to wonderfully represent everything that makes the Day of the Dead so special. So, what did guests have to say? Belén, an Aztec dancer, explained the significance of the Day of the Dead to her: “It means that… even though that we remember our dead throughout the whole year, ... [this] one day is dedicated solely to them, and sometimes I feel…their presence. We stop everything we’re doing to celebrate them, so for me it means a special day for them.” Among the many traditions connected to this holiday, some of Belén’s favorites include: “the smell of the cempazuchi [marigold], of the flower…[and] always the food…the food that I come to provide and eat with my loved one.” Angelina, an event attendee, also offered an answer to that same question and said, “We go to the cemetery…make an altar and make prayer circles around all of our family.” When asked what she like most about events like TANA’s, Angelina responded, “…an event like this is kind of also sharing to other people who don’t celebrate this culture [what it’s about], …I do love coming [to these events] because I love…the setups, the flowers, everything, just everyone coming [together].”

Clearly, events like the one TANA organized helps people come together in community to remember friends and family who have passed and to keep their memories alive in our hearts. An English artist known by his pseudonymous name “Banksy” is believed to have said: “They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time…when somebody says your name for the last time.” In a sense, the Day of the Day tradition helps people avoid this second and more permanent death for their loved ones by making sure their names and memories continue on living every year. This holiday is a representation of just one of the many cultures that make up our culturally diverse town. In addition to continuing to celebrate the valuable teachings of the Dead of the Dead, Woodland should organize, welcome, and support similar events to celebrate traditions and holidays of the other cultures that live in this town.