The virtual celebration of Día de Los Muertos hosted by El Centro
was a lovely and educational experience. I also want to commend them on taking
the time to show the importance of times we are living in. I really appreciated
it that they took the time to inform the community how much we, as a Latinx
community, have been affected by the virus this year. It is important to not
just read about it in the news but also hear leaders from our community be
vocal about it. Additionally, what a great platform to continue to inform the
viewers on voting procedures, I hope this motivates more people to get out and
make their voice heard. The altar that I want to talk about is the one created
by the poet Claudia Luna Castro and her family. Aside from the beautiful and
traditional elements depicted, there was comments she made about the process
that caught my attention. Castro mentions that although altar making is a traditional
practice, “every year it looks a little different [19:35].” It reminds me how
powerful art can be to express and be a constant reflection of the current
times. I also love that even though the theme might differ every year, Castro’s
altar has some elements that are always present, which make it very personal.
She mentions how there are components to her family’s altar that are family-made,
she specifically mentions things handmade by her children that were incorporated
into the altar since they were young and continue to be part of it even though
they are now adults. There is a lovely message of connection and consistency in imagining
how her altar changes with the times but is also rooted in her family’s history
and roots. There was one last noticeable moment in her altar presentation for
me and that occurred when she began to read a poem she wrote for her grandma. The
upside of having a virtual platform allowed for us to see both the altar and
her, while hearing her poem layered on top of the beautiful ofrenda her
family had created. It allowed me to imagine future in-person altares having
an audio component to them as well.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Dia de Los Muertos - El Centro Review, Reeder
The day has finally come for our group altares to be on display for everyone to see! Looking at Group 2's altar (Daniela Altamirano Crosby, Vilma Odette Alvarado Garcia and Carla Annet Avila) I love the arch they created with the marigolds. I appreciate the highlight of how COVID-19 is impacting those in prison, ICE detention centers, and essential works with the article headlines on the third level of the altar.
Francisca Garcia held the workshop that we had attended a while ago when this project was assigned. I love that she is a part of the event the same way at the workshop: explain what an ofrenda is and how to build one. My favorite aspect of her altar is the remembrance chair that she has next to it for her ancestor Roberto for whenever he wants to come and sit. The chair is for him to feel welcome. I hadn't seen that before and thought it was a very touching aspect to her altar.
Dia de los Muertos at El Centro review
The show that El Centro de la Raza put on this year was very fun to watch. I enjoyed listening to the little kids choir and thought that it was nice that they are learning about this beautiful celebration from such a young age. Francisca Garcia's altar stood out to me because of the way her set up was made. She was one of my interviewees for my groups podcast and seeing her ofrenda helped me better understand everything we talked about. It was very nice that a few people's ofrendas not only had pictures of their loved ones, but they also included people who have passed away because of COVID 19, at detention centers, crossing the border as well as Black lives who have been lost against police brutality. Claudia Luna Castro's ofrenda was also one that was nice to look at because she stated that she changes the way her ofrenda looks every year depending on what is happening that year. Overall, all of the ofrendas were very nice and I really liked how there was even a small part where an art exhibit was mentioned and briefly talked about.
Monday, November 2, 2020
Dia de los Muertos Celebration El Centro Reveiw
Francisca Garcia's Ofrenda for Roberto stood out to me. Making an Ofrenda from a chair reflects upon the space that people can take up. The chair was beautifully decorated, where the colors add a vibrant quality to the physically empty space, and I think that this is what brings joy out of feelings of hollowness that could linger. A chair takes up space whether someone is sitting in it or not. Whereas altar's can set up a space to interface with the land of the dead, a chair brings the Ofrenda into personal life as an everyday object that isn't normally dignified as special. Decorating the makes it stand out without removing it's existence as a chair, welcoming in Roberto to take their place along living.
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