When I attended high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the 1960s, my dad decided to take our family of four on a vacation in Mexico. He owned an industrial design company and was always looking for new ideas.
When we visited Mexico City, Oaxaca and Taxco, he sought out the craftspeople of each city and brought home boxes of pottery, fabric and paintings. Each item had wildly assorted colors and designs, certainly nothing like I had seen before.
I remember purchasing a handmade wooden box with the most beautiful hand-painted designs. I still have some of the crafts pieces that he purchased and have always sought out Mexican shops or exhibits.
My wish to seek out Mexican folklore was granted this week when I was the guest of Sara Kelly, recreation director of Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park in Carlsbad. She gave me a hands-on tour of the upcoming Dia de los Muertos celebration on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 2-3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
This traditional Mexican holiday is celebrated by honoring deceased friends and family. It is believed that the veil between the spirit world and the real world dissolves for this brief period, allowing the souls of the dead to return to the living world to eat, drink, be merry and visit loved ones and relatives.
The holiday is observed by building private altars, or ofrendas, using flowers, candles, papel picado (paper banners), personal items and favorite foods of the departed.
In honor of Día de los Muertos, the historic adobe hacienda at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park this weekend will be dressed up with colorful decorations and a customary ofrenda table dedicated to the Carrillo family. The celebration will include crafts activities for kids on the side patio.
The hacienda, the original living quarters for Leo Carrillo, is filled with brightly decorated rooms adorned with objects representing the traditional holiday spirit. Kelly and her talented staff and docent volunteers have covered every inch of the tiny rooms with handmade pottery, paper flowers, papel picado, candles, food and of course, marigolds! Each item represents an element of earth, fire, water and air.
Photos of the deceased, in this case Leo Carrillo and his family, his home and his favorite horses fill the ofrenda with the glow of happiness that represents his life. The exhibit is open to the public Nov. 2-3, but hacienda tours are available every day.
A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION IN CARLSBAD
I also had the pleasure of stumbling upon a completely impromptu Dia de los Muertos display in Carlsbad. Located on Roosevelt Street, next to Circle K, the Barrio community members have constructed a communal altar for their loved ones.
This is the second year the group has constructed the altar, which is over 50 feet long and filled with memorabilia from loved ones who have passed.
As explained by one of the participants, Maria Ibarra of Carlsbad: “Nov. 2 is the day that our relatives who have passed will come to visit us for just one night. We create the ofrenda, as altar of our loved one’s favorite things. You might see a Coca Cola, potatoes, candy, sugar skulls or tamales.
“All of the objects on the ofrenda have meaning. The smell of the marigolds will lead the spirits to earth, propelled by the wind, represented by the papel picado. We also have sugar skulls on the ofrenda, which represent a sweet reminder that death is the only thing guaranteed in this life.
“Our loved ones will come to visit for the day, and celebrate with the foods that we have prepared. It is important that the loved one’s photograph be placed on the altar, so the spirit will be able to find us. Then, on the evening of Nov. 2, they return to their resting place on Nov. 3.”
This display will be on view through Nov. 3. It’s worth the short trip to Barrio Carlsbad, at the intersection of Roosevelt and Hope streets.
Jano Nightingale is a Master Gardener/Horticulturist and teaches vegetable gardening at the Carlsbad Senior Center Community Garden and other locations. Contact her at [email protected].
