By Brenda Panama
“Dia de Los Muertos” is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated on October 31st, November 1st and and November 2nd. Families create offerings to honor their deceased family members. They decorate informal altars with bright flowers, pictures of the departed, and the favorite foods and drinks of the ones being honored. These offerings are believed to encourage the visit of their deceased from the land of the dead.
Photo Courtesy of Mexicanos Unidos.Org.
Mexicanos Unidos, a community organization whose mission is to develop a critical, collective social consciousness for the Mexican community, put together an event in honor of their traditional holiday. They made a flyer with the title, “Dia de Los Muertos” inviting everyone to come and commemorate all victims of state violence. Mexicanos Unidios encourged people to bring images of victims that have experienced state violence, a candle and cempasuchil (yellow flowers).
The day of the announced event, several people from the community painted their faces and danced in honor of their dead in New York’s Times Square. They also made ofrendas for victims of police brutality like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others who have lost their lives due to institutionalized racism or the willful abuse of power. This timely revision of Mexico’s ancient Day of the Dead ceremonies thus united many different communities in the common cause of social justice.
Times Square March Honoring Victims of State Violence (2020)
Image Courtesy of Hiram Alejandro Duran/THE CITY
* Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos). (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://dayofthedead.holiday/