Pictured above: The Seattle Fandango Project performing at El Centro de La Raza’s Dia de los Muertos celebration on 11/02/2017. Photo taken by Maria Tracy

Category: Focus on Cultural Identity

The Seattle Fandango Project is performing and sharing their cultural traditions with all the attendees. They were playing their instruments, singing, and dancing. They were celebrating their culture and identities. Those who assisted the event could reminisce or feel joy to partake in something that reminds them of home and family.

Pictured above: Our group’s altar honoring those who passed away crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at El Centro de la Raza’s Dia de los Muertos celebration on 11/02/2017. Photo taken by Karen Gamez.

Category: Ceremonial/healing

Our altar is honoring those who have passed away by celebrating their lives. In a way, we are also doing community healing to help with our pain of losing them. Through our altar, we hope to remember those who lost their their lives attempting to cross the border in search of a better life. Frequently, their families are unaware of their whereabouts. We are also speaking out against the immigration system that does not care about these people.

Interviews:

1. “The celebration of life and remembering that death is the end of a journey and continuation of another one. Beyond the skulls, there is a history of our ancestors that is passed on. It needs to be recognized and celebrated and passed on” – Nayeli Mercado, 3rd year her family does the altar for Roberto Maestas, the main altar
2. “It’s a time to remember our dead, to commemorate their life, and to remember that some days are harder than others. It’s a time for you to make your peace. You have a day set aside for mourning every year. It’s a healing process and a healing opportunity” – Connie Muniz: instructor/leader of Folklorico Tonantzin, her group was performing (Mexican folk dance), was wearing a traje tipico de Mexico.

Our group selected the photograph because it showcases convivencia and community building through music and dance. We selected the photo because we wanted to capture our group’s involvement in honoring those who have passed and our participation in promoting our unique cause. We chose to include the interview with Nayeli Mercado because she highlighted that Dia de los Muertos is a cultural event that celebrates death as a state transition instead of mourning it as the end of our journey. We included the interview with Connie Muniz because she focused on the healing aspect of the celebration and altar-building process.

By: Group 2- Stephanie Badillo-Sanchez, Maria Tracy, Karen Gamez

Our altar is honoring those who have died crossing the border. As a group, we believed this was dear to our hearts because we have either experienced this in our own families or we know of others who have lost loved ones. As we explain to the community our altar, they also have shared their experiences of losing their loved ones. We come together this evening to cry, to laugh, and to make conversation. I have learned so much about people and have listened in on conversations being discussed about tonight, alongside my colleagues. As the Dia De Los Muertos event comes to an end tonight, I hope to continue to meet people and ask them about their altars and what it means to them.

Being surrounded by so many diverse people coming together in one space to celebrate el Dia De Los Muertos is a beautiful experience. I have never attended a Dia De Los Muertos event as my family and I didn’t celebrate it. Immersing myself in such an event and being able to participate in one as well has been an experience. As I walk through the hallway of the altars, there are so many people that are being honored. The overarching theme of this year’s Dia De Los Muertos is “Honoring Those Who Have Build Bridges Not Walls.” Through the altars we are honoring family members, friends, and so many other people that have not been forgotten. As a community we are coming together and celebrating a collective theme.