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Breathing Life Back into Dia de los Muertos

It's been several years since I took part in Dia de los Muertos festivities. I was a regular attendee, participating group show artist and vendor at Dia de los Muertos celebrations hosted by Los Angeles Photography Center and Self Help Graphics dating back to the early years when the Chicano art movement embraced the tradition. Over the years the commercialization and mass appeal to turn Dia de los Muertos into another Drinko de Mayo was a major turn off. Having to explain repeatedly that Dia de los Muertos is not Mexican Halloween and seeing how a once grassroots celebration had become over popularized I knew I needed to let it die, and I did...for years. Instead of heading out I would paint my calaca face and sit at home reflecting on loved ones and not so loved ones who have passed. As the years add up so do the numbers of those I've known who are no longer here.
Not having a car makes getting around difficult and very few opportunities arise for taking public transportation as part of tradition so when I learned the 51st Self Help Graphics Dia de los Muertos procession would be via Metro I had to join in.
Of course, I loaded myself down with Rustic Chicana sombreros, bolero hats, calaca brooches and hair barrettes. I wound up giving away the calaca barrettes and brooches plus a couple bolero hats to children in attendance (I always give my work away to children) and sold a sombrero to Diana Diaz founder of The Goddess Mercado
There was a ceremony at Mariachi Plaza with land acknowledgemnt, song, poetry, Aztec dance, blessings and Mariachis de Garfield High School followed by a Metro E Line procession to East LA Civic Center where altares, music and food awaited. Metro Tap cards loaded with round trip fare were made available to all attendees by Hilda Solis, Member of the Los Angeles County of Supervisors and Metro.
There was one stop at Maravilla Station where the group exited for addtional performances but I was already tired and continued on to East LA Civic/Belvedere Park. At the park there were individual altares dedicated to loved ones and/or social issues.
I was on a mission to hand over the offering I made for the Eddie Ayala memorial that I was unable to attend. I knew Sunshine would be making an altar and wanted to hand deliver it to her.
Also, she and Eddie's son Jeremiah was going to be singing his dad's songs with Cactus Flowers including Manuel and Tony Valdez of Los Illegals and Rudy Medina of The Brat so I had to check them out.
As mentioned, it has been years since I took part in Dia de los Muertos (or any) festivities so I didn't even make it to the vendors section and only went as far to the first booth in the food court where I bought a sandia agua fresca to beat all. I forget the name of the vendor but I took a photo,
The rain started to come down pretty heavy as Tony and Manuel Valdez took the stage with Cactus Flowers and I had to make an exit. All in all, it was a good day and I'm glad I made the effort to drag myself out of the house to reconnect with old friends, acquaintances and my community, the Chicano community on familiar turf. Until next year.

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