The Calacas: They appear on advertisements...
Día de los Muertos 2013
by Victoria Challancin
They are everywhere, the calacas. Everywhere. And all of San Miguel, visitors and residents alike, turn out to celebrate our departed loved ones. Here in Mexico we honor the dead as a way of celebrating life. We remember, we cry, we talk about it, we commercialize it, and there are those who might suggest we trivialize it. But no...we honor our dead. And we remember...
In a previous post called El Día de los Muertos: The Poetry of Death, I wrote the following, which still rings true:
"Mexicans celebrate life. Mexicans celebrate death. Mexicans celebrate--that is a joyous fact of life. Firecrackers, parades, bands, food...families coming together, schools reinforcing traditions, life continuing in timeless ways midst the turmoil of modern change."
They come in giant-size...
They decorate the faces of tourists...and their bags
They smoke...
Some come in paper...and all appear on altars...
They play music...
In wax form, they hide among the flowers...
Some have corn teeth...
They lurk in my house...
They come made of sugar...
They peep through the cempasuchiles (marigolds) and cockscombs
They are constructed out of beans, peas, rice, and seeds
They are everywhere the calacas...those enduring skulls and skeletons. Everywhere. And I love them.
Parting Shot:
They even shine through the offerings...
Note: For more photo essays and information on Day of the Dead, see these posts from years past:
- Images from Day of the Dead, 2010 (The Poetry of Death) Background and History
- Day of the Dead: The Altars
- Mexican Day of the Dead: The Altars
- Day of the Dead Market--Alfeñiques
- Day of the Dead: Setting Up the Altar
©Victoria Challancin. All Rights Reserved.
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