Day Of The Dead Las Colinas Day of The Dead Celebration on Mandalay Canal
The USMCEF sets up a traditional Mexican Ofrenda in Las Colinas-Irving, TX in celebration of Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). This tradition is a fusion of pre-Hispanics and Catholic religious rites, and involves different elements, with perhaps the most visible one being the Ofrenda, an altar in honor of the deceased, in which families commemorate their loved ones by placing a photo surrounded by their favorite dishes and drinks, bread, sugar and chocolate skulls, paper-cut handcrafts, candles and flowers that help the departed find their way home.
This festivity of indigenous origins is an encounter between the living and the departed that inspires vibrant art expressions: poems, music, make up and Catrina attires, and in recent years this list also includes movies. Given its uniqueness the Day of the Dead has been inscribed in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and is now embraced in other countries where there is presence of Mexican Communities.
The USMCEF shares this cultural expression with the people in North Texas, and display Ofrenda open to the public to honor members of the community who are no longer with us.
In collaboration with Las Colinas Association, the Foundation hosts every year a celebration along Mandalay Canal, with vendors, food, live music, an authentic Ofrenda. This year, we have the State of Aguascalientes as special guests, and they will be presenting a unique musical performance, and bring a very distinct flavor to the celebration! Don’t miss it!
La Catrina
One of the most recognized characters associated with Day of the Dead is La Catrina. The character of La Catrina was created by political cartoonist Jose Guadalupe Posada -who was born in Aguascalientes- in 1910 and was seen as an elegant upper-class skeleton. During this period, she intended to make a statement on social class division and mortality in Mexico. Diego Rivera, a prominent Mexican artist, took the icon and created one of Mexico’s most notable works of art, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Centra. La Catrina captivated the country and soon was known as the symbol of Día de los Muertos. In modern times, you can see her represented through face paint, placed on altars and involved in art.
Join us in this extraordinary Mexican festivity.