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Here in Los Angeles, and south of the border, many of us have adopted this beautiful tradition of Dia De Los Muertos. Although there are traditional ways of creating the ofrenda, there is no recipe or manual for this type of artistic expression, as we keep the traditional meaning of Dia De Los Muertos as a celebration to honor our beloved ones.
Several years ago a UCLA student wanted to create an altar for her grandmother. She brought a roll of Victorian styled wallpaper and a yellow canary. When I asked her how her altar would relate to Dia De Los Muertos she replied, “When I was a young child, I would come over to visit my grandmother who lived in a Victorian home. It was beautiful and she was a very lovely woman. I came across the wallpaper and it reminded me of the wallpaper in her bedroom. She would speak to her yellow canary and it would sing to her.” This was a way this young woman could pay homage to her grandmother. Even though it didn’t have the traditional elements, it had the true meaning of Dia De Los Muertos.
Another man who always attended the annual exhibition told me that his mother had died earlier in the year. After a few months of mourning, he began to give away some of her personal belongings. When he came across a hat and a pair of gloves, his memory jogged to the many wonderful times he had shared with her. He decided to keep them. When Dia De Los Muertos came later that year, he brought them out. He placed a photograph of his mother, brought a glass of water, added flowers and a candle. He said the experience was surprisingly very healing because even though she was not here anymore, he felt there was something he could do to pay his respect to her. Then he asked me in a very serious tone: “I’m Jewish not Mexican. Is that all right?” I had a big smile and we both embraced.
As these stories demonstrate, even after death, there is still a way to show your love for your beloved year after year. It is a wonderful way to put everything aside and share with your children, family and friends how much these people meant to you during your life together. I hope these stories inspire you to adopt this loving tradition into your own life.
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