– Special events and commemorations will bring new life to
Day of the Dead celebrations this month, throughout the Mesilla Valley, which
also hosts the region’s largest Día de los Muertos festival in late October and
early November on the Mesilla Plaza.
The new additions will help you learn more about history and
ancient Borderland traditions, honor loved ones at altars in Las Cruces’
historic Mesquite District, and even learn how to bake Day of the Dead bread.
First up will be “Día de los Muertos: Journey of Ancestral
Remembrance,” part of the Latino Americans History Notes Lecture Series at 1
p.m. Oct. 13 at the Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St.
Irene-Oliver Lewis, who has been creating Day of the Dead altars
(ofrendas) since 1981, will show examples of altars from throughout Mexico and
New Mexico, explain the significance of the celebration and the artifacts and
elements that are part of a traditional altar and discuss traditions that date
back more than 3,000 years to the Aztecs. Oliver-Lewis is one of
the founders of the current annual Día de los Muertos celebration in Mesilla.
Last year she and her sister, Sylvia Camuñez, curated an exhibit at the
Branigan Cultural Center that honored the ancestors of four founding families
from the village of Doña Ana.
Also new this year, Las Esperanzas, Inc. will host a Día de los
Muertos event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29, at Klein Park, on the corner
of Mesquite and Griggs streets in Las Cruces.
“Dario Silva, the brother of former Las Cruces City Councillor
Miguel Silva, who died in January, told me the the family would to like to
build an altar in his memory under ‘Miguel’s Tree’ at Klein Park and also
wanted to honor the memory of another beloved brother, the late Andres Silva, pastor
of Living Word Family Church and former Mayor of Deming, who died from cancer
in 2014. Silva’s brother in-law, Pastor Jeff Sutton, will open the event with a
prayer,” said Dolores Archuleta, president of Las Esperanzas, Inc., a
neighborhood organization based in Las Cruces’ historic Mesquite District.
“Momentum on the event has picked up by word of mouth and family
members of deceased members of Las Esperanzas plan to build altars for Vivien
Enriquez Wolfe, Stella Melendrez and Estella Sanchez. We also welcome relatives
and friends who have lost children (Angelitos), especially those who died from
abuse and neglect, to consider building altars for them with their pictures,
flowers, candles, and favorite toys. Miguel, who took his own life, continues
to bring family, friends together under Miguel’s tree, and the family invites
the survivors of family members who committed suicide to participate in this
event as well,” said Archuleta.
There is no fee to build an altar, but registration is required.
Contact Archuleta at darchuleta611412@aol.com, 575 524-7873.
José Tena, internationally known folklorico dancer, teacher
and historian, and his students will once again create an altar featuring
traditional Day of the Dead items at La Academia de Dolores Huerta Middle
School, 1480 N. Main St. The altar is constructed in October and features
tributes to well-known and celebrity difuntos.
“This year, we’ll do tributes to the star John Sebastian, and
for Juan Gabriel, a genius composer in many different styles (the singer
songwriter sold more 100 million albums worldwide) and to Pepe Martinez,
musical director of Mariachi Vargas, a great composer and wonderful musician
who did so much for folklorico dancing and the Las Cruces Mariachi conference
here,” Tena said.
The academy school will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. For information, call the school at 575-526-2984.
Join Heritage Cooking instructor Dave Harkness and learn
to make and bake sweet, rich, pan de muerto, in the shapes of bones and skulls,
in an 1890s wood-burning cook stove, from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 29 at the New
Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. The $5 fee
(free for age 5 and under), in addition to regular museum admission fees,
includes bread to take home with you. For information, call 575-522-4100 www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org
Creative altars honoring the dearly departed, a colorful
marketplace with arts and crafts vendors, traditional food treats, face
painting, live entertainment and a closing cemetery procession will all be part
the region's largest Día de los Muertos celebration Oct. 28 through Nov. 2 on
and around the Mesiila Plaza. It’s hosted by the Calavera Coalition, a
nonprofit group founded in 1998 to present Día de los Muertos activities in
Mesilla.
Tributes to difuntos (the departed) traditionally include Day
of the Dead bread, photos, sugar skulls, flowers and displays that represent
favorite pastimes and items of loved ones. Those honored usually include
relatives, celebrities, pets and special causes.
Altar building begins at 9 a.m. Friday morning Oct. 28 and
continues throughout the weekend, according to members of the Calavera
Coalition, which provides overnight security during the event. It’s free, but those
building altars are asked to donate five cans of food which will be given to
area food banks. Festival hours are noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28
and 29, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30.
The annual Day of the Dead procession gathers at 6 p.m. Nov. 2
and leaves at 6:15 p.m. from Mesilla Plaza, traveling along Calle de Guadalupe
to San Albino Cemetery and returning to the plaza for beverages and pan de
muerto. It’s traditional to wear black and white costumes or makeup that
include skull masks or skeleton motifs. Those on the procession often carry
candles and bring musical instruments, noisemakers, incense and flowers.
For information, or to volunteer to help with Calavera Coalition
events and projects, email calaveracoalition@q.com,
or phone Peggy King at 575-639-1385.
Also in Mesilla, the Backyard Bones Brigade will feature
additional displays and booths of Día de Los Muertos artisans and crafters on
Calle de Guadalupe, the street that runs in front of the entrance to the
Fountain Theatre and San Pasqual Hair & Body Shop, 2488 Calle de Guadalupe.
The shop’s owner Kirstie Robles, founder of the brigade, said hours will be 8
a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30. For information, call
Robles at 575-527-1910.
No comments:
Post a Comment