Day of the Dead: A Colorful Celebration to Capture with Lomography

The Day of the Dead, also know as Dia De Los Muertos, is a Mexican tradition that unfolds during the same spam of time as Halloween — but they have little in common as to how they are being observed nowadays. Our community, while attending the recurrence and re-interpreting the Mexican tradition, added some extra creativity on these festive days. Such is the work of @armanb and his intriguing use of the LomoChrome Turquoise, a great example of the Lomography spirit. Some of his photographs are found in this gallery.

From the 31st of October until 2nd of November, the days in the calendar that mark the remembering of the deceased in many of the major western cultures and religions. This time, we dive deep into this colorful celebration and discover some interesting facts on this ritual.

Honoring the Past

The Mexican tradition takes place for two days. It’s more of a celebration and remembrance of the past than as an omen to the dark side, which is the major difference between Halloween especially in the contemporary context. The origins are rooted in the pre-colonial era where death was a stage of life. After the central American regions were colonized, the mix between Christianity and indigenous belief melted in what is today's celebration.

Remembering Our Love Ones

The night of the first of November is when the two worlds meet again, allowing the family members both dead and alive to reunite. They live in our memories, and through us, it is believed that we can help their journey to reach the final destination. An essential component of the observance is the building of altars. Different items are displayed for the spirits. As it is crucial to help the souls during their travel in the afterlife, the altars are made with objects they loved in their lifetimes, as well as the food they liked (it is believed to be quite exhausting to travel in the Land of the Dead), to welcome their return.

A Modern Icon

The contemporary icon of the skeleton was drawn by Mexican artist Diego Rivera in his mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park”. They are Calacas (skeletons) and Calaveras (skulls). The etching of cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada’s "La Calavera Catrina" is also another icon, and was also a reflection on 20th-century Mexican society in which they tried to emulate European fashion; his satirical work highlighted that in the end, we are all the same as these skeletons regardless of social statuses and class.

A Contagious Festivity

Day of the Dead was made a “cultural heritage” by UNESCO, and has quickly spread in our society to bring a more peaceful and positive view on death. Participating in the parade is a seen more as a triumph of music, dance and happiness. This uplifting perspective has a fascinating allure and grabs the participants into a vortex of delightful remembrance. The observance has evolved during the century, and more so in recent years, while the intention of honoring our loved ones remains strong.

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How will you celebrate this year? Share with us some of your time with this interesting and beautiful tradition!

written by eparrino on 2021-11-01 #culture #halloween #day-of-the-dead #dias-de-los-muertos