Dias de los Muertos, otherwise known as Day of the Dead began yesterday and goes through November 2 coinciding with the Christian celebrations of All Saints’ Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. The weekend parade in Mexico City was led by a gigantic raised fist made with helmets, pick-axes and rubble. You may recall the raised fist was used by rescuers as a sign requesting silence so they could hear if anyone was trapped under the rubble from September’s devastating earthquakes and pays tribute to the rescuers as well as the victims. It seems like a powerful statement to open the festival this year.
If you follow us on Facebook, you may have noticed some images from a recent visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens commemorating the festival. While generally associated with Central and South America, Day of the Dead is fast becoming a staple in Halloween celebrations in the US. It also celebrated in Europe, the Philippines, and even some cities in Australia, Fiji and Indonesia and it seems there’s a whole cottage industry dedicated to make-up and costumes. I even noticed a number of trick-or-treaters in full Day of the Dead garb around my ‘hood.
How was your Halloween? Is Day of the Dead a big deal in your neck of the woods?
Live, love, bark! ❤︎