The Magic of the Cities.

Zen promotes the rediscovery of the obvious, which is so often lost in its familiarity and simplicity. It sees the miraculous in the common and magic in our everyday surroundings. When we are not rushed, and our minds are unclouded by conceptualizations, a veil will sometimes drop, introducing the viewer to a world unseen since childhood. ~ John Greer

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Day of The Dead



The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints' Day which occurs on November 1st and All Souls' Day which occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.

Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example, it's a public holiday (Dia de Finados) in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.


T I M E
Modern man thinks he loses something-time-when he does not do things quickly. Yet he does not know what to do with the time he gains- except kill it.

One of the worst forms of mental suffering is boredom, not knowing what to do with oneself and one's life. Even if man had no monetary, or any other reward, he would be eager to spend his energy in some meaningful way because he could not stand the boredom which inactivity produces.
~Erich Fromm 





music+image

Thanks for visiting, please be sure that I read each and every one of your kind comments and I appreciate them all / Gracias por su visita.

11 comments:

Cris said...

Es por lo menos una curiosa forma de pasar por ese día. Excelentes tomas.
Forte abrazo!

zeder said...

Thank you for this intresting insight.
Regards from Berlin,
Uwe-Jens

B SQUARED said...

The observance has all but vanished here.

Lúcia said...

These photos are so cool!!!
It's fun to see how creative people can be to celebrate this day.
Wonderful music choice! ;-)
Abrazos

Carolyn Ford said...

Those are some amazing scenes of a holiday I didn't know much about...thank you for the descriptions along with the great photos!

irinapictures said...

So interesting.

joo said...

We celebrate All Saints' Day on November the 1st, but here it's a very solemn and quiet day!

Cloudia said...

Aloha from Honolulu

Comfort Spiral

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T. Becque said...

Such vibrant photos! The window with the manniquins is great!

Sciarada said...

Buongiorno Carraol, A celebration of the tradition that unites us!

AB said...

Buenas fotos de algo muy mexicano. También los muñecos de los escaparates celebran!