Day of the Dead: A celebration of life

Day of the Dead Figure
David Linares-Vargas

At the Burke, we bring together people, objects and the stories that make them meaningful. As Mexico and other cultures around the world celebrate Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) on November 1 and 2, we want to share some of the Day of the Dead objects in our Ethnology collection and a special new sculpture on display for our visitors to enjoy.

Day of the Dead is a time for families and communities to welcome home the visiting spirits of the deceased and celebrate the love they shared. Rather than a time for sadness and mourning, this holiday, is a celebration of life and is filled with all kinds of individual and culturally meaningful objects that remind us of the past.

Preparations for Day of the Dead often begin weeks in advance. The celebration traditionally includes dances, festivals, family gatherings and religious services. Families also place photographs of their deceased relatives on candlelit ofrendas (altars) with elaborate wreaths and crosses, prepare special foods – such as chocolate skulls and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and lay trails of brightly-colored marigolds to help guide the spirits home.

1,000 Sugar Skulls Made for Dia de Muertos

What can you find when walking through the hallways of the Burke Museum? Many exciting and interesting projects! Community involvement is a very important part of our work here at the Burke, and last week many dedicated staff, students and volunteers came together to create 1,000 sugar skulls for the Burke’s table at the Dia de Muertos Festál at Seattle Center last weekend. Isaac Hernández Ruiz led the group through the sticky process, as sugar and meringue were mixed and molded to make the skulls.


Burke educators then took the skulls to the Dia de Muertos: a Mexican Remembrance event at the Seattle Center where hundreds of people decorated the skulls to take home. Celebrating life through death, Dia de Muertos or “Day of the Dead” honors loved ones who have passed away through community alters, dancing, music and much more. The sugar skulls were accompanied by Mexican heritage performances and crafts at the Seattle Center House.


Learn more about Dia de Muertos on the Burke’s special interactive educational Web site all about the holiday.

Photos: The creative process of making sugar skulls for the event.
Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Dia de los Muertos

Posted by: Karin Hoffman

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival this Saturday and Sunday, November 1st and 2nd at the Center House at Seattle Center. TMCA (Taller Mexicano Para La Cultura y Las Artes) is hosting this FREE (!!) event which includes art exhibits, short films and animation, print making, sugar skulls, an opportunity to participate in the creation of a community ofrenda, (an alter to celebrate the lives of loved ones) and much more!

The Burke Museum Education staff will also be showcasing a wonderful hands-on activity (paper skeleton puppets) so stop by and say hello!

For more information and hours, go to http://www.tallermexicano.org/.

How do you create an ofrenda for Day of the Dead?

Posted by: Julia Swan

Artist Isaac Hernàndez Ruiz was in the Pacific Voices gallery at the Burke Museum all last Friday installing an altar or ofrenda (offering), in honor of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrating and remembering loved ones who have passed away. As Ruiz puts it, "For Mexican people, Día de los Muertos is the union of our past with our present and is a vital part of our identity as a culture."

The ofrenda is designed to offer food, drink, flowers, sweets, candles, and other everyday objects to the deceased and is based on the belief that these objects will help the departed continue their life after death.

So, how does one go about assembling this altar? Isaac was kind enough to let me snap some photos of him as he worked throughout the day.

Step One: Arrange the flowers. Flowers symbolize the brevity of life. The traditional type of flower found on the ofrenda is the marigold, known as the “flower of the dead.” The flowers’ scent helps the souls find their way home.
Step Two: Decorate the altar with candles, foods, toys, and other items. Candy skulls are a popular offering, especially to children.
Step Three: Begin the sand painting. Sand painting is a common practice during Día de los Muertos. These paintings decorate the street during the celebration but are later swept away, symbolizing the fleeting nature of life.
Step Four: Add color to the sand painting.

Done!

Isaac’s altar will be on view at the Burke through November 30.