“My culture, my family, and customers … that’s what keeps me going.” “It’s flattering to be featured in the magazine,” said Vigil, 44, who grew up in Sebastopol. In late October, Harper’s Bazaar featured Vigil and her pieces in a story. Among her most-prized items are her small and large Día de los Muertos altars and ofrendas, or offerings, she’s crafted by hand for more than 10 years. Since then, Vigil has included that beauty in her shop, Alma’s Oilcloth and Chucherias, in Healdsburg, home to Mexican cultural products such as decorative flowers and colorful ornaments. Flowers - such as marigolds, mums, gladioli, baby’s breath, cockscomb, and white hoary stock - play a key role in this joyful celebration.When Alma Vigil traversed Mexico as a kid, she was enamored with her culture’s beauty and charm - the vibrant folk art and the makers behind it all. This colorful two-day festival is a celebration of loved ones, all with a focus on remembering and honoring those who have passed. José Guadalupe Posada’s iconic 19th-century works often feature flowers, such as “La Calavera Catrina.” The works of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and other artists are rife with death and flower imagery.ĭía de los Muertos may be centered around death, but it’s anything but somber. Of course, artists find inspiration in the Day of the Dead, too. “ Así que los festejamos (So we celebrate them)Ĭon grandes piezas de pan, (With large pieces of bread,)Ĭon flores velas, mezcal! (With flowers candles, mezcal!).” For example, consider this verse written in honor of loved ones passed on: Poems don’t have to be joking, however, and many incorporate flower imagery. Often, the poems are funny, irreverent, or satirical and tend to poke fun at specific qualities of the deceased (or living). In English, this translates into “skull literature.” Calevaras literais are a form of poetry popular in Mexico it’s frequently used in Day of the Dead celebrations. Take, for instance, the tradition of calevaras literarias. In Art and LiteratureĪrtists have found much inspiration in Day of the Dead celebrations, and flowers form an important part of the festivities. Red cockscomb may be added for an additional dash of bright color. These crowns are often woven together using marigolds, white mum, and white baby’s breath. The flower crown is an important element of the festivities. Let’s look at the symbolism and meaning behind the flowers used in Day of the Dead celebrations.įlowers are used in costumes for Day of the Dead. Each offering has significance, and that includes flowers. The goal is to provide items that will attract and please the deceased. Ofrenda, or offerings, to the dead, often include foods and blossoms. Some of the traditional Aztec elements remain, such as the emphasis on the harvest, fruits, and flowers. Over time, as the New World was taken over by the colonizers, Catholic cosmology merged with the Aztec seasonal festivals. The Spanish conquistadors brought their own religion and traditions with them. These festivals also tied in the duality of life and death, planting the seeds for the Day of the Dead. Multiple festivals throughout the year, known as veintena, celebrated the seasonal cycles and agricultural harvests. Many of these were closely tied to the land, the seasons, and agriculture, including fruits and flowers. The concept of death was complex for the Aztecs, with an afterlife that involved many layers and stages. Though it’s more a cultural designation than a geographic one, this area includes what is today the southwestern U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize.įrom the early 14th to 16th centuries, the Aztec Empire ruled the region. Dia de los Muertos started in a region known as Mesoamerica.
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