Showing posts with label dia de los muertos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dia de los muertos. Show all posts
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Celebrate Dia de los muertos in Murphys
Murphys Businesses Honor the Dead in the Land of the
Skulls on Dia de los Muertos, November 1, 2014 Murphys merchants and
tasting rooms will be celebrating the Fifth Annual Day of the Dead, or
Dia de los Muertos, on November 1st from 11-7 pm. Participating
businesses and vendors will be offering authentic cultural art, food,
sugar skulls, face painting and live music, as well as displaying
ofrendas (altars) celebrating the lives of those who have passed on but
are with us in heart and spirit on the Day of the Dead. We’ll once again
include a Catrina and Catrin Dress Contest at 6:00 pm Saturday
afternoon at the Black Bart Theater followed by a Candle Light
Procession to the Park. Those wishing to participate in the procession
should meet in front of the Black Bart Theater at 6:45 pm. Make sure to
bring your flashlight and warm clothing. Mexican hot chocolate and pan
de muertos will be available for purchase after the brief ceremony.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Dia de los Muertos - History.com
The candies you’ll find distributed throughout Mexico on November 1
and 2 sound innocent enough. Made of pure sugar, they’re decorated with
bright reds, blues, greens and yellows sure to entice wide-eyed
children. Look closely, however, and you’ll see that these sweet
confections have a darker side: They’re molded in the shape of human
skulls.
Such contradiction is fitting, since the candies are traditionally made for a holiday that embodies a similar paradox. The Day of the Dead—actually a multi-day celebration—is a time to both quietly contemplate the lives of the departed and to, well, party.
Día de los Muertos is rooted in the centuries-old traditions of the cultures that dominated present-day Mexico in pre-Columbian times, including the Aztecs, Mayans and Toltecs. The Aztecs, for instance, held a month-long celebration of deceased loved ones each year, presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, or “Lady of the Dead.”
With the arrival of the Spanish and the spread of Roman Catholicism, these traditions merged with the similarly themed Christian holidays All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). In Mexico and among Mexican-Americans, though, November 1 is usually reserved for honoring the memories of children who died (“angelitos”), while November 2 is for remembering those who were adults at death.
Such contradiction is fitting, since the candies are traditionally made for a holiday that embodies a similar paradox. The Day of the Dead—actually a multi-day celebration—is a time to both quietly contemplate the lives of the departed and to, well, party.
Día de los Muertos is rooted in the centuries-old traditions of the cultures that dominated present-day Mexico in pre-Columbian times, including the Aztecs, Mayans and Toltecs. The Aztecs, for instance, held a month-long celebration of deceased loved ones each year, presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, or “Lady of the Dead.”
With the arrival of the Spanish and the spread of Roman Catholicism, these traditions merged with the similarly themed Christian holidays All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). In Mexico and among Mexican-Americans, though, November 1 is usually reserved for honoring the memories of children who died (“angelitos”), while November 2 is for remembering those who were adults at death.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Dia De Los Muertos - Day of the Dead in Murphys
On November 3rd and 4th, 26 downtown Murphys merchants held their first Dia De Los Muertos - Day of the Dead. The walking tour took the event attendee through downtown Murphys through shops, wineries, and more to view altars, art, replicas and some fanciful displays all honoring the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead can be traced back nearly 3000 years focusing on the gathering of friends and family for a time of remembrance of those that have been lost. Traditionally it is believed that on November 1st the gates of heaven open and the spirits of the children that have been lost are allowed to reunite with their families. On November 2nd the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities. Skulls play a large part in the tradition as with indigenous peoples skulls were used to represent death and rebirth. The skulls now are colorfully decorated. During the celebration altars are erected and decorated with candles, flowers (usually marigolds) fruits, tortillas and water as the weary travelers are in need of nourishment. The ceremony concludes in the afternoon of the 2nd where the families traditionally gather at the cemetery and reminisce about their loved ones.
Some altars were heartfelt and moving, some were whimsical and others were commercial. Clearly the heart told the altar engineer what to create and how to create it.
The Day of the Dead can be traced back nearly 3000 years focusing on the gathering of friends and family for a time of remembrance of those that have been lost. Traditionally it is believed that on November 1st the gates of heaven open and the spirits of the children that have been lost are allowed to reunite with their families. On November 2nd the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities. Skulls play a large part in the tradition as with indigenous peoples skulls were used to represent death and rebirth. The skulls now are colorfully decorated. During the celebration altars are erected and decorated with candles, flowers (usually marigolds) fruits, tortillas and water as the weary travelers are in need of nourishment. The ceremony concludes in the afternoon of the 2nd where the families traditionally gather at the cemetery and reminisce about their loved ones.
Some altars were heartfelt and moving, some were whimsical and others were commercial. Clearly the heart told the altar engineer what to create and how to create it.
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