At ‘Day of the Dead,’ Songs and Skulls for the Departed
BY HYE MI AHN
It was two days after Halloween, but there were skulls everywhere.
From student-made murals to wax skeletons and professional paintings, skulls were impossible to escape in the Great Hall at Carleton College for the celebration of ‘Dia de los Muertos’ (Day of the Dead).
‘Dia de los Muertos’ is a two-day Mexican holiday, held on Nov. 1 and 2, when families and friends gather to remember and celebrate the lives of the deceased.
Traditionally, an altar is set up with pictures of the dead along with their favorite food and drinks. Gifts as well as personal trinkets are set on the altar, all in order to establish a connection with those who have passed.
This year, a public celebration of ‘Dia de los Muertos’ was organized by the Latin American Student Association (LASO) and sponsored by the Carleton Student Association (CSA), the Carleton College, Spanish Department, Centro Campesino and the Carleton College Chapel.
The event attracted Carleton students, staff and faculty as well as members of Northfield and surrounding communities.
Before the 5:30 p.m. start, people walked around admiring the “calaveras” (skulls) exhibit organized by Latino artist Carlos Rojas with a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Along with his own paintings, a mural painted by students and parents from Owatonna, Faribault and Northfield were on display.
The theme of Mexican heritage wove throughout the paintings among skulls painted in various interpretations, from dark and creepy to colorful and bright.
Chocolates and Candles
Unlike Halloween when skulls are primarily meant to frighten trick-or-treaters, the skulls that decorated the Great Hall represented loved ones that had passed. The event’s opening speaker described the Mexican belief of “a state of permanent interaction” between the living and the dead, especially on the ‘Dia de los Muertos.’ To some, the holiday is a family reunion of sorts.
The people at the Great Hall decorated the makeshift altar with pictures of a U.S. Marine soldier, a man by the name of Shonglue Yang, and Coretta Scott King.
They added personal items and gifts for loved ones who had died: Bazooka gum, Mexican chocolate, candles, painted clay dolls and instant pudding. There were homemade treats and fresh flowers. The altar was overflowing with memories.
After everyone had been seated, the ceremony began with a welcome from two Carleton students, junior Michele Cruz and freshman Estefania Donahue.
Following a narrative dance by Ollin Ayacaxtly, a Northfield-based traditional Aztec dance group, and a reading of a Spanish poem and song, there was an invitation to decorate the altar. Tables emptied as people lined up to light a candle and say a prayer for their loved ones.
Suddenly Eerie
This part of the ceremony highlighted the darker aspects of the holiday, reminding everyone in attendance that death, despite celebrations, can be a hard thing to deal with. One young man lit three candles, for three loved ones who had recently died.
He spoke loudly and clearly: “One is for my aunt who died of leukemia. The second one is for my cousin who died in a car crash.” The last candle was for his friend, someone “like a brother,” a Marine who had died just three weeks earlier in Afghanistan.
The two friends had enlisted together, and the young man wondered aloud, “if I hadn’t been in school, I would have been there, right by his side that morning. Maybe I would have died. Could I have saved him?”
The hall suddenly felt eerie, as if the dead were among us.
On the other hand, some were there to enjoy the lighthearted nature of the holiday.
“I’ve always enjoyed this holiday,” said Rachel Feinberg, a Carleton freshman. “Growing up, we had fun activities in Middle School and High School to celebrate it.”
Tears in Heaven
Zaret Calderon, a student at Northfield High School, also came for interest and fun.
“I usually go to church but here the dancing was really good,” she said.
For some, the Aztec dancing by Ollin Ayacaxtly was the event’s highlight.
Dressed in glittering, feathered costumes, the dancers performed with smoking cups and incense to the beat of a single drummer and a horn.
Jennifer Lompart, a teacher at Northfield High School, brought her two young children to the event. As her children sat entranced by the dance, Lompart remarked, “the dance is just amazing, but I’m also here to support a few of my students and their families who are here.”
Overall, the night was a community celebration, but most in attendance were personally touched. The crowd was intensely still as Carleton senior Jamaal Magee sang “Tears in Heaven” in dedication to his younger brother who had passed away.
Silently Singing
Jamaal closed his eyes and turned his face to the ceiling, and many members of the audience were singing along silently.
At the “Day of the Dead” celebrations, the pain of losing a loved one lurked beneath the festive atmosphere.
Mariveliz Ortiz, a junior Carleton, sang “Como La Flor” by Selena, whose lyrics resonated long after the festivities had ended:
Yo se perder
Pero aye
Como me duele
Como me duele
Or in English:
I know how
To lose
But oh, how it hurts me,
Oh, how it hurts me
Copyright @ 2009 Pressville
