El Dia De Los Muertos

                Friday 10/30 I was fortunate enough to attend an event called “el dia de los muertos” or the day of the dead for those without a Spanish background. Initially the title was enough to scare someone off and then the first impression when I walked in didn’t help much either. The altar was full of skulls and candles and in the dimly lit room it gave a somewhat eerie feel. It looked like a somewhat dark celebration, however, when the ceremony began I realized that this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

                The first speaker introduced the main idea of the ceremony. This was not a ceremony of evil and mischief but instead an appreciation of the dead. He had said “This ceremony is intended to open a space where the living can be visited by their loved ones that have since passed.” It was an extraordinary way to view how those who are alive and those who are dead can exist together. It was explained the in ancient Spanish culture death was not known to be a scary thing but instead a check point in existence. They saw it as the spirit leaving the body and continuing to a new level of living where one could visit the earth at any given time.

                The altar was instantly noticeable. It was covered in skulls and paper flowers as well as candles and photos of lost loved ones. The skulls initially looked odd and unnerving but I later found out that this was a part of the ceremony. The skulls were made of sugar and were eaten to symbolize being one with the dead. The flowers and other arts were put out to show the love and care towards the lost loved ones and the pictures were simply to commemorate these people.

                In the ceremony they showed a sample of what would be done in an actual ceremony. They gave a sample of a dance that would occur during the evening. It was a traditional dance between a young pair. There were also two authentic songs about love of family. After all of this anyone who wanted could come up and set a flower on the altar for a loved one.

                This ceremony opened my eyes to a new way to view the afterlife. The way that they showed affection for the lost loved ones instead of mourned was a refreshing way to look at death. Not only was this an interesting view at a different culture but a doorway to a different perception of life and afterlife.