This is the time of the year when the veil between the living and the dead is thin. Many cultures have celebrated the ancestors in ritual and with altars throughout history. I first saw the Mexican
Dios de los Muertos version of these altars in the Mission of San Francisco many years ago. A few years ago I went to a very beautiful celebration there and last year made my very own
Dios altar for the first time. Being here back with my family of origin, steeped in fear over the image of the skeleton, I am not sure they would understand . I am sad to not be able to go the festivities in the Bay area again this year but I decided to dedicate some of my blog to this beautiful celebration. This morning while looking for just the right description of this celebration , I came across yet another amazing blog:
http://www.alchemistsjournal.com/ This is just the right description for me to see this year. Here is a shorter definition: If you aren't familiar with the
Day of the Dead it is a celebration to honor deceased relatives.
'Typically it is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd of every year. Events are held at cemeteries and homes with an attempt to communicate with passed loved ones. Stories are told remembering family members and the overall spirit is meant to be uplifting and on a positive note.Skulls and decorative skeletons are used to decorate for Day of the Dead along with flowers, candy, toys, and alcohol. Often shrines are built with pictures and tokens of the deceased in an effort to honor and remember them. Throw your own Day of the Dead event and have fun honoring your loved ones. The picture above is a something that I painted on my old black truck last (2008) summer.
I am quite certain that my "friends" and acquaintances thought I had gone (further) over the edge when they saw it driving by. The reasons are multi-faceted. I had just seen the "Frida Kahlo" exhibit at the SF Moma, so it was definitely inspired by that. It was also the 13th Anniversary of the passing of Jerry Garcia.
I was never a bonafide "Deadhead" but went to a few concerts in the early 90's and really love the more bluegrassy Jerry Garcia Band version of his music, and the skeleton images in the GD art. I have always thought it was cool that I was standing in the Haight, actually right near the corner of Haight and Ashbury (sp?) leaning against the open door of a car owned by a friend of my lover, waiting to go on a monumental week- long trip to the South Fork of the Yuba River, when a young distraught Deadhead proclaimed "Jerry's Dead". Then the wave of folks getting out the word that Jerry, had indeed overdone his limit. Later, he showed up in my dreams.
It was also inspired by a young surfer that I knew that I originally had intended to help me "paint my truck", as well as the old art of Jose Posada.
So I got some rustoleum and parked on remote Stage road in Pescadero and started painting. Jerry (or the skeleton representing him) is saying "Peace" on one hand and " Hang Loose" on the other. He is riding a blue tsunami wave of change (Democrats/Obama). To celebrate this year I will make a smaller version of my altar and remember, again that everything has to die to make room for more things to be born.
A cloud does not know why it moves in
