In recent years, fall has become so much more than pumpkin patches and apple picking for our family. I mean, we do that too.
On the importance of family tradition.
As a second-generation Mexican American, I am always looking for ways to teach my daughters about their heritage and the culture of my grandparents. Celebrating Día De Los Muertos has become one of our important fall traditions. For those of us who come from immigrant parents and grandparents, cultural tradition is something we sometimes have to fight to keep alive. This can be challenging with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Preserving these traditions can seem like keeping a flame alive. I admit that sometimes my flame gets small, yet I love that I can help it burn bright during this season.
When my daughters were babies, we would put together a simple altar, carefully placing a few Cempasuchil (marigolds) amongst the pictures of our deceased loved ones atop the bookshelf that held their little board books. As they’ve gotten older, the altar has grown. Now, we discuss each picture and who they were to our family. We added candles and objects that represented our loved ones. We take flowers to the cemetery where my beloved Grandma Coco rests, and we sit and admire the tangerine sea of Cempasuchil that adorns every gravestone.
To my friends who have never celebrated Día De Los Muertos, I realize it can all sound a little morbid. My husband is Caucasian and didn’t grow up knowing much about this holiday, but he and I agree that we want to leave our children with this idea of celebrating, remembering, and honoring those who have gone before us. This is why Dia De Los Muertos is an incredible holiday that rejoices with vibrant colors, music, food, and dancing.
When my girls were toddlers, we would attend shows by the beautiful local Folklorico dance group Esperanza Del Valle. My girls would be mesmerized by the dancing, the dresses, and the music, just as I was as a little girl. Once my oldest could speak, she would excitedly point to the stage and say, “Dance up there, Mama!” The Folklorico dresses from Jalisco, Mexico, have vibrant, ruffled ribbons that whirl about beautifully. My girls loved them.
To see them perform in their first Día de los Muertos event last year with their dance group, The Estrellas de Esperanza (the stars of hope), was incredibly special. The celebration was grand. It was an all-day event where altars had been set up all over the plaza. Musical and dance groups performed, and the aromas of deliciously familiar food filled the air. Street vendors lined the outer plaza, marigold garlands hung from everywhere, and their bright orange petals dotted the concrete walkways. People were dressed in fancy dresses and faces painted like Calaveras (skulls). It was wonderful.
It was almost time for the Estrellas to go up on stage in front of hundreds of people. Their dance instructor explained why this was an important day and how we honor our ancestors through this dance. She then asked the kids to think of someone important who has passed, remember them while they perform, and dedicate it to them. Afterward, I asked who the girls danced for, and they said Grandma Coco. Sadly, they didn’t get to know her very well, as she was in the last years of her life when they were in their first years. But being that she was my biggest connection to my roots, the bestower of the greatest gift, I was so moved. During their performance, I imagined her watching them proudly with a big smile, tenderly saying, “Ay mira las, que chulas!”.
These activities and events, like Día De Los Muertos, aren’t just holidays. They remind my girls of where and who we come from. They are reminded of the men and women who sacrificed with courage and fortitude and hailed from a country rich with beautiful bailé, música, and tradiciones.
I strongly believe in teaching our children about their own and others’ heritage through language, arts exposure, or participating in various cultural traditions. It gives us a glimpse into other people’s worlds and ultimately helps connect us. So, I encourage you to participate in this year’s local Día De Los Muertos celebrations wherever you are. You won’t regret it.
