This weekend I was invited to attend a Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Westside Community Center in Albuquerque, NM, by the KUNM Youth Radio Project.
It was a community event, and there was a parade, singing, dancing, and much more! Dia de los Muertos is the Spanish translation of day of the dead. It originated in Mexico and is now more widely known across other countries. In celebration of the holiday, people remember and celebrate loved ones that have passed away. When I first got to the celebration I started watching the parade, which was filled with excitement and joy among the schools, organizations, and people participating in the parade. People had their faces painted as ‘Calaveras’ or sculls which represent the dead. In the parade people held signs to show representation of their schools, organizations and social causes that were important to them.
Next I watched an Aztec dance group as they moved in a spiritual way to the rhythm of the drumbeats and other instruments. It was peaceful and amazing to see these individuals move in a powerful way. Then I saw a group of singers, who had great voices. During this time we all danced and had fun and celebrated life together. The most humbling thing I saw were the altars, which had pictures of deceased loved ones and candles on them. It was a reminder to me to remember to cherish the time we have here on earth because it does not last forever. Overall I had a great experience and was glad to share it with the KUNM Youth Radio Project!
by: Victor Torres