Published by darolsurner –

Comentario


In response to the past discussion of El Dia de los Muertos, I can say that in my family as well as in Ocotlan, Arandas, Atotonilco el Alto, throughout Los Altos de Jalisco, no one celebrates the holiday.  That's what November 1 was for. 

 

On that day there would be a special mass for all the deceased, especially those who died within the past year, and the Holy Rosary would be prayed.  The people of Los Altos are still very Catholic, and were even more so in the past.  Just remember the Cristiada, Alten~os took the Rebellion to the status of a Holy War. 

 

The belief remains that when someon dies, their soul leaves the corpse and is then judged by God.  Cemeteries have no special religious significance where the spirits of the dead still roam.  They did not...they were all either in Heaven or Hell.  End of story.  That is why graves and cemeteries in Mexico are sometimes cleared and paved over.  They are just dead bones who tell no tales...dead empty shells without a soul.  I guess the Day of the Dead is mostly celebrated in areas where there is still a large indigenous population.  I guess it is akin to the day of the walking dead traditions common in many pagan cultures like the Celts who started Halloween, also around the same time.

 

Many older family members on my mother's side have told me that an old cemetery in Ocotlan was dug up and many, not all, of the bones were dug up and placed in a special crypt in the main church.  The land was then cleared paved and a little park was put there instead.  My grandfather told me that his mother, Petra Salcido Aguirre, or rather her grave ended up somewhere underneath a park bench.  So much for respect for the dead. 

 

Also, I am 30 years old and when I was a child I had never even heard of Dia de los Muertos, until I was in Junior High School.  Even despite the fact that my family and I made several trips back to Ocotlan, Guadalajara, and Atotonilco.  I remember reading about the Day of the Dead in a book in school.  Funny huh!  I also had never heard of la Catrina, until I saw her picture in a History of Mexico book at University.

 

Well I hope everyone, especially us teachers, is having a restful...if not toasty...summer.

 

Regards,

Steven H.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Natalie <nc_coleman@...>
To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, 03 Jul 2005 11:36:56 -0000
Subject: [ranchos] Dia de los Muertos

I don't remember "celebrating" this holiday as a youngster (in the 
40's & 50's), either. And it is only in the last 10-15 yrs that I 
have been exposed to this custom.
In the past two years the Smithsonian has had public programs for 
DDLM, (one day affairs) with music (strolling mariachi), dance, 
displays, and crafts.
The Mexican Cultural Institute (Washington, DC), in the building that 
formerly housed the Embassy of Mexico, have hosted a DDLM exhibit the 
past 3 yrs - with a magnificent altar in their blue & white tiled sun 
room, reception, and music. Last year there was even a woman dressed 
as La Catrina.
About 6 or 7 yrs ago I began putting up an altar in my yard (then 
moved it to the porch). I would put it up a day or two before 
Halloween - so trick or treaters would get an education when they 
came for their treats. I deviated from the standard of remembering 
and honor family members by remembering friends and family who had 
died in the previous 12 months - I would just post a list. I got a 
lot of ideas online on how to set it up. It has evolved over the 
years. Now my two oldest grand-children (ages 5 & 3) look forward to 
helping me set up the altar. As they grow older maybe they will have 
an understanding of honoring the antepasados.
Thanks to all for sharing the cemetery memories - very informative.
Happy Fourth! * * * (fireworks!)

Natalie




 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranchos/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    ranchos-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Comentario


Ok, now, who is La Catrina?  Even my husband, who was more into the culture until the age of 12 in El Paso, doesn't know either.
 
Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Natalie
Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 4:38 AM
Subject: [ranchos] Dia de los Muertos
 
I don't remember "celebrating" this holiday as a youngster (in the
40's & 50's), either. And it is only in the last 10-15 yrs that I
have been exposed to this custom.
In the past two years the Smithsonian has had public programs for
DDLM, (one day affairs) with music (strolling mariachi), dance,
displays, and crafts.
The Mexican Cultural Institute (Washington, DC), in the building that
formerly housed the Embassy of Mexico, have hosted a DDLM exhibit the
past 3 yrs - with a magnificent altar in their blue & white tiled sun
room, reception, and music. Last year there was even a woman dressed
as La Catrina.
About 6 or 7 yrs ago I began putting up an altar in my yard (then
moved it to the porch). I would put it up a day or two before
Halloween - so trick or treaters would get an education when they
came for their treats. I deviated from the standard of remembering
and honor family members by remembering friends and family who had
died in the previous 12 months - I would just post a list. I got a
lot of ideas online on how to set it up. It has evolved over the
years. Now my two oldest grand-children (ages 5 & 3) look forward to
helping me set up the altar. As they grow older maybe they will have
an understanding of honoring the antepasados.
Thanks to all for sharing the cemetery memories - very informative.
Happy Fourth! * * * (fireworks!)

Natalie




Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

Comentario

Hi, Carol! This is interesting. My grandparents never celebrated this either in El Paso and I never heard them or any of my relatives speak of it. But I do remember hearing the phrase occasionally as I was growing up. I do remember when I was a little girl, there being a biiiiiig celebration at Sacred Heart Church with Matachines. I remember being impressed with their wooden soled sandals and the noise they made. Marge



On Oct 31, 2005, at 7:47 AM, Carol Turner wrote:


DIA DE MUERTOS has made a comeback in the last five

years here in Kansas City.  I don't ever remember my

grandparents mentioning this to any of us or how they

celebrated in Mexico.  Mattie Rhodes Art gallery puts

on quite an exhibit with local artists and small

alters in dedication to our ancestors.  They also have

a big party in the street with dancing skeletons and

music, food.  I've heard Chicago puts on a big parade

now.  A few years ago I went to a slide presentation

here at the art gallery.  The presenter told me in the

state of Oaxaca they would load up buses of people and

ride out to the cemetery late at night with candles,

flowers, food, some people brought guitars to play

music.  I asked her if she felt anything while in the

cemetery, I was just curious, she said well she wasn't

scared or anything but sensed a presence there but a

good presence.  I'm curious but is DIA DE MUERTOS

celebrated in every state of Mexico differently? We

also celebrate All Saints day which is tomorrow but

it's usually a Mass celebration and prayers for our

deceased ancestors. 



Just thought I would share what is going on here in KC

and how they celebrate this holiday. 



Carol



--- Joseph Puentes <makas@...> wrote:



>

> Hi Joseph,

>

>      Here are a few photos from El Paso, taken Sat

> 29, in celebration of

> DIA DE MUERTOS.   I hope you can post these for the

> group to see the

> different ALTARES and festivities.

>      Not only did they present these wonderful

> altares but they also had

> great food from the region of Vera Cruz and music

> from northern and

> southern Vera Cruz. We listened to a trio Xoxocapa

> which played sones

> Huastecos and Huapangos and Los Utrera which played

> sones Jarochos

> campesinos. These two groups were brought in from

> Vera Cruz to perform

> and delight the croud and boy did they ever!!!

>      I hope you consider setting up an altar for

> your difuntos and if

> you do please share with the group.    HASTA PRONTO

>

> Yolanda Medina Perez (windrocklili@...)

>

> =============================

>

> for the Juarez group you can find photos in the

> Photos section

>

> for the Ranchos group you can find a folder in the

> links area.

>

> joseph

>









SPONSORED LINKS

Aguascalientes

Criminal offenses

Zacatecas

Zacatecas mexico

Zacatecas hotel

Fiesta americana aguascalientes



YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS



▪  Visit your group "ranchos" on the web.

 

▪  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:

 ranchos-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

▪  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.




Comentario

color=#0000ff size=2>Hi Carol!    My first experience with Dia de
Los Muertos was in Oaxaca and I was, as you were told by the presenter at the
art gallery, one of those people in a bus load of people taken to cemeteries
late at night!!  :-)   It was not a scary experience for me
mainly because there were a lot of people around and I am not afraid to go to
cemeteries; however at that time, I had never been to a cemetery late at
night!  A few years later I did spend a couple of nights in a cemetery (IN
OUR RV) but that is another story!  Mickey Garcia and I spent Dia de Los
Muertos in Mexico last year and we learned that it various places celebrate in
different ways......some make it a big celebration while others keep it
small.  We did see some beautiful altares and read some great Calaveras in
Saltillo.  In Guadalajara we missed the event by one day and they were
dismanteling platforms from a previous celebration.  Of course, that is
probably all changing as Dia de Los Muertos events become more popular. 
Here in San Antonio they do celebrate it and it has also made a comeback in the
last five or ten years or so.  When my youngest daughter was a student at
the Kansas City Art Institute she made a small alter honoring her grandparents
in her apartment when I visited her.  This was back in 1990. I wish I could
be there to see how they celebrate it today!    Josie Trevino
Trevino in San Antonio, TX

From: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ranchos@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Carol
Turner
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:48 AM
To:
ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ranchos] Dia de los
Muertos


DIA DE MUERTOS has made a comeback in the last five
years here
in Kansas City.  I don't ever remember my
grandparents mentioning this
to any of us or how they
celebrated in Mexico.  Mattie Rhodes Art
gallery puts
on quite an exhibit with local artists and small
alters in
dedication to our ancestors.  They also have
a big party in the street
with dancing skeletons and
music, food.  I've heard Chicago puts on a
big parade
now.  A few years ago I went to a slide presentation
here
at the art gallery.  The presenter told me in the
state of Oaxaca they
would load up buses of people and
ride out to the cemetery late at night with
candles,
flowers, food, some people brought guitars to play
music.  I
asked her if she felt anything while in the
cemetery, I was just curious, she
said well she wasn't
scared or anything but sensed a presence there but
a
good presence.  I'm curious but is DIA DE MUERTOS
celebrated in
every state of Mexico differently? We
also celebrate All Saints day which is
tomorrow but
it's usually a Mass celebration and prayers for our
deceased
ancestors. 

Just thought I would share what is going on here in
KC
and how they celebrate this holiday. 

Carol

--- Joseph
Puentes <makas@...> wrote:

>
> Hi Joseph,
>

>      Here are a few photos from El Paso, taken
Sat
> 29, in celebration of
> DIA DE MUERTOS.   I hope
you can post these for the
> group to see the
> different ALTARES
and festivities.
>      Not only did they
present these wonderful
> altares but they also had
> great food
from the region of Vera Cruz and music
> from northern and
>
southern Vera Cruz. We listened to a trio Xoxocapa
> which played sones

> Huastecos and Huapangos and Los Utrera which played
> sones
Jarochos
> campesinos. These two groups were brought in from
> Vera
Cruz to perform
> and delight the croud and boy did they
ever!!!
>      I hope you consider setting up an
altar for
> your difuntos and if
> you do please share with the
group.    HASTA PRONTO
>
> Yolanda Medina Perez
(windrocklili@...)
>
>
=============================
>
> for the Juarez group you can find
photos in the
> Photos section
>
> for the Ranchos group you
can find a folder in the
> links area.
>
> joseph
>


Comentario

Thanks for sharing.  I've also heard some places in
Mexico they also have contests on the best alter in
the cemetery.  I don't think I would be afraid going
into the graveyard at night with a busload of people
either, if I ran into a spirit I probably would have
to say, hey I've hit a brick wall in my genealogy do
you know any info on the matter..haha.  Good topic for
Halloween of course.

--- "Josie T. Trevino" <Josiett3@...> wrote:

> Hi Carol!    My first experience with Dia de Los
> Muertos was in Oaxaca and I
> was, as you were told by the presenter at the art
> gallery, one of those
> people in a bus load of people taken to cemeteries
> late at night!!  :-)   It
> was not a scary experience for me mainly because
> there were a lot of people
> around and I am not afraid to go to cemeteries;
> however at that time, I had
> never been to a cemetery late at night!  A few years
> later I did spend a
> couple of nights in a cemetery (IN OUR RV) but that
> is another story!
> Mickey Garcia and I spent Dia de Los Muertos in
> Mexico last year and we
> learned that it various places celebrate in
> different ways......some make it
> a big celebration while others keep it small.  We
> did see some beautiful
> altares and read some great Calaveras in Saltillo. 
> In Guadalajara we missed
> the event by one day and they were dismanteling
> platforms from a previous
> celebration.  Of course, that is probably all
> changing as Dia de Los Muertos
> events become more popular.  Here in San Antonio
> they do celebrate it and it
> has also made a comeback in the last five or ten
> years or so.  When my
> youngest daughter was a student at the Kansas City
> Art Institute she made a
> small alter honoring her grandparents in her
> apartment when I visited her.
> This was back in 1990. I wish I could be there to
> see how they celebrate it
> today!    Josie Trevino Trevino in San Antonio, TX 
>   _____  
> 
> From: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:ranchos@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> Carol Turner
> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:48 AM
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [ranchos] Dia de los Muertos
> 
> 
> DIA DE MUERTOS has made a comeback in the last five
> years here in Kansas City.  I don't ever remember my
> grandparents mentioning this to any of us or how
> they
> celebrated in Mexico.  Mattie Rhodes Art gallery
> puts
> on quite an exhibit with local artists and small
> alters in dedication to our ancestors.  They also
> have
> a big party in the street with dancing skeletons and
> music, food.  I've heard Chicago puts on a big
> parade
> now.  A few years ago I went to a slide presentation
> here at the art gallery.  The presenter told me in
> the
> state of Oaxaca they would load up buses of people
> and
> ride out to the cemetery late at night with candles,
> flowers, food, some people brought guitars to play
> music.  I asked her if she felt anything while in
> the
> cemetery, I was just curious, she said well she
> wasn't
> scared or anything but sensed a presence there but a
> good presence.  I'm curious but is DIA DE MUERTOS
> celebrated in every state of Mexico differently? We
> also celebrate All Saints day which is tomorrow but
> it's usually a Mass celebration and prayers for our
> deceased ancestors.  
> 
> Just thought I would share what is going on here in
> KC
> and how they celebrate this holiday.  
> 
> Carol
> 
> --- Joseph Puentes <makas@...> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Hi Joseph,
> > 
> >      Here are a few photos from El Paso, taken Sat
> > 29, in celebration of 
> > DIA DE MUERTOS.   I hope you can post these for
> the
> > group to see the 
> > different ALTARES and festivities. 
> >      Not only did they present these wonderful
> > altares but they also had 
> > great food from the region of Vera Cruz and music
> > from northern and 
> > southern Vera Cruz. We listened to a trio Xoxocapa
> > which played sones 
> > Huastecos and Huapangos and Los Utrera which
> played
> > sones Jarochos 
> > campesinos. These two groups were brought in from
> > Vera Cruz to perform 
> > and delight the croud and boy did they ever!!!
> >      I hope you consider setting up an altar for
> > your difuntos and if 
> > you do please share with the group.    HASTA
> PRONTO
> > 
> > Yolanda Medina Perez (windrocklili@...)
> > 
> > =============================
> > 
> > for the Juarez group you can find photos in the
> > Photos section
> > 
> > for the Ranchos group you can find a folder in the
> > links area.
> > 
> > joseph
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SPONSORED LINKS 
> Aguascalientes
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Aguascalientes&w1=Aguascalientes&w2=Cri
>
minal+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacatecas+hotel&w6=Fiesta
>
+americana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=3dGDyzZK1JYlft_kl5Y0RA>
> Criminal
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Criminal+offenses&w1=Aguascalientes&w2=
>
Criminal+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacatecas+hotel&w6=Fie
>
sta+americana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=rIqx_vlal4c5USviDDmPCQ>
> offenses
> Zacatecas
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Zacatecas&w1=Aguascalientes&w2=Criminal
>
+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacatecas+hotel&w6=Fiesta+amer
>
icana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=0I9QabaLqZysHNkjQQ8kLA>
>  	
> Zacatecas
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Zacatecas+mexico&w1=Aguascalientes&w2=C
>
riminal+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacatecas+hotel&w6=Fies
>
ta+americana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=cOINbNYO1WJJy2BT4tgmBA>
> mexico
> Zacatecas
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Zacatecas+hotel&w1=Aguascalientes&w2=Cr
>
iminal+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacatecas+hotel&w6=Fiest
>
a+americana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=IlWErASU8JXH8YNhGBk9hQ>
> hotel
> Fiesta
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Fiesta+americana+aguascalientes&w1=Agua
>
scalientes&w2=Criminal+offenses&w3=Zacatecas&w4=Zacatecas+mexico&w5=Zacateca
>
s+hotel&w6=Fiesta+americana+aguascalientes&c=6&s=138&.sig=VhhnwMFlUbMHR432Rt
> NUkw> americana aguascalientes 	
> 
>   _____  
> 
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 
> 
> 
> 	
> *	 Visit your group "ranchos
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranchos> "
> on the web.
>   
> 
> *	 To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>  ranchos-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
<mailto:ranchos-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>
> 
>   
> 
> *	 Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . 
> 
> 
>   _____  
> 
> 
>

Historical Archives