Written by Spencer Powell and Takako Iwatani, NewsNetNebraska
Monday, 03 November 2008 21:21
While little ghouls and goblins were getting into costume Friday night, hundreds of people gathered at the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln to kick off the two-day Dia de los Muertos Festival.
Dia de los Muertos, which is Spanish for "The Day of the Dead," is an annual Mexican celebration. The Sheldon presented all its programs in English and Spanish, including the flyers, speakers. Both days of the bilingual festival were overflowing with native Mexican art, music and dancing.
"Dia de los Muertos is an ancient cultural tradition that comes from the Aztecs," said Olga Olivares, one of the volunteers at the event. "It's the celebration of death as the joy of life"
Olivares, 69, of Lincoln, grew up in southern Texas. Olivares said she remembers Dia de los Muertos as a family activity. "It was a time to bring out pictures of our deceased and their favorite foods and drinks," Olivares said.
Family pictures, food and drinks covered most of the main floor of the Sheldon Friday night and Saturday. Also scattered throughout the two days were performances and exhibitions of contemporary and native Mexican dances, music, theatre and art.
The arts are important to the Day of the Dead because they are a way for people to pass on traditions, Olivares said.
"The music and dancing need to be kept alive for the younger people," she said. And Olivares said she is happy to celebrate with music. "We can keep the memories of my husband, parents and grandparents alive. They taught me a lot about music, culture and God."
Butterfly theme an ancient tradition
Although skulls and skeletons made up most of the artwork, monarch butterflies were also abundant inside the Sheldon. "The Aztecs believed that monarchs are the spirits of the dead," Olivares said. "When the monarchs migrate south to Mexico this time of year, the spirits are reuniting with their families."
Historically, the Day of the Dead is celebrated the first two days of November, but the Sheldon hosted it a day early, which didn't deter people from attending. This is the second year Sheldon has hosted the festival. People from Lincoln and out of town came out on a clear and cool Friday night and a sunny and warm Saturday to celebrate.
This year's celebration was expanded to two days because last year 1,200 people came for the one day event, said Blanca Ramirez-Salazar, co-chairwoman for the event at the Sheldon.
Salazar, 39, who was born in Jalisco, Mexico, volunteered countless hours for this year's Day of the Dead celebration. She said the work is worth it because the Day of the Dead is for everyone.
"People who aren't Latino can also celebrate their loved ones," she said, "When it comes to death, we're all part of the same family."
Tradition shapes celebration
The way people celebrate Dia de Los Muertos differs from region to region in Mexico, Salazar said. The celebration reflects the traditions of the people who are celebrating, and the Day of the Dead in Lincoln is no exception.
One tradition that is almost universal for the Day of the Dead is Pan de Muertos, the bread of the dead. The sweet and dense bread comes in varieties of shapes that include conches -- or shells - as well as skulls and skeletons, Salazar said. This year bakeries from Fremont and Lincoln donated Pan de Muertos for the event.
This is the second year Benito Sanchez helped with Lincoln's Day of the Dead. And although he's only 17 years old, he is helping to shape new traditions for Lincoln's observance, helping to make theater an integral part of Lincoln's new Day of the Dead traditions.
Sanchez, a senior at Lincoln High, is a first generation Mexican-American. He directed the play "Legend of the Poinsettia" that was part of Friday night's festivities. Last year, Sanchez directed another play for the Day of the Dead.
Although the play has a Christmas theme, Sanchez said it shares common elements with the Day of the Dead.
"It's about life. The message of Dia de los Muertos is universal," Sanchez said.
This year's Dia de los Muertos celebration also kicked off TRANSactions, a new exhibit at the Sheldon.The exhibit features contemporary Latin American and Latino art and runs from Nov.1, 2008-Jan.18, 2009.
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