Last week I was in El Paso for the Day of the Dead festival. As it happens, my sister was in town on business so she was able to view some of the altars with me. I was deeply moved by these displays, and intrigued as the objects left as memorials and offerings mirrored the items family members leave on the graves in Van Horn.
Though it is somewhat presumptuous and pretty difficult to boil down a tradition from another culture (and one for which I hold just a superficial understanding!) in just a few words, here my best shot: the Day of the Dead is an interesting blend of Cathoic and pre-Columbian tradition, and in some respects is also a harvest celebration, as it takes place on the calendar between relative abundance and a time of scarcity. The altars are offerings to those passed, as many believe the dead return home and visit loved ones, feast on their favorite foods and listen to their favorite music.
A children's book I picked up conveys the joy of this time,
"They are coming and they are going
And you seen them passing by.
They are walking over here,
They are walking over there....
These are the dead.
How happy they are!
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