Valerie Rodelli
"Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
It is a celebration honoring the dead, originating with the Aztec Indians. It is celebrated in Mexico, Spain, and other countries in Central and South America on October 31, November 1 and 2.
It is believed that on those days, the spirits of the dead can return to earth and visit their families. Although the spirits cannot actually be seen, the families do everything to make them feel welcome. They make dioramas, called nichos. Happy skeletons, depicting the spirit of the departed, are shown doing what the person loved to do while living.
The skeletons, called calacas, decorate everything. They can be made of whatever material available, sometimes in paper, called papel cortado. Small altars, called ofrendas, are often constructed in the home. Favorite foods, clothing, and photographs, that the departed held dear, are placed on these altars.
During this celebration, special food and drink, such as tamales and atole are prepared and eaten. The families tell stories of the deceased. People save money all year to prepare this lavish feast for these days.
In some areas, the entire town parades to the cemetery to honor the dead. The people put marigolds on graves and ofrendas. Some villages have a candlelit procession to the cemetery and some villagers stay the entire night. Certainly a celebration of the dead!
My mask depicts a person who loved color, flowers and other aspects of nature. Perhaps she was a gardener or farmer, botanist or just a nature lover?