Day of the Dead altars will be available in Scottsdale‘s Old Town until November 2. Photo: Marlene Valero / Arizona Press
bread of the dead, marigold flowersincense and photographs of loved ones who are no longer with us, flooded the Old Town de Scottsdale last weekend to celebrate the Day of the Deada tradition that remains alive in Arizona.
The festivities began on October 24 and will end until November 2with the placement of altars of the dead, photographic exhibitions and the Dance of the Dead by the Mexican Folkloric Ballet of Carlos Romero.
Last Friday, October 25, hundreds of people gathered in Scottsdale’s Old Town to witness the Catrinas procession, in which participants paraded dressed as this iconic character, with face paints and traditional Mexican clothing.
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The rondalla Alfonso Ortiz Tirado also accompanied them, from the municipality of Álamos, in the Mexican state of Sonora.
Carmen Martínez, Vice President of Brand and Image of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce He said that these events are to learn and keep Mexican culture alive, especially so that it is not lost with the youngest.
Claudia Martínez, from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, characterized as a catrina. Photo: Marlene Valero / Arizona Press
“Let them come, participate and teach the little ones how rich our country is and that these traditions are not lost,” he expressed.
Gus Mejía, a visual artist who portrays the essence of the Day of the Dead
One of the special guests of the eighth edition of the Day of the Dead in Scottsdale he is the visual artist Gus Mejiawho traveled from Los Angeles, California, to exhibit his photographs of catrinas and catrines, in which he captures the essence of this Mexican celebration.
In an exclusive interview with Prensa Arizona, the artist mentioned that one of his greatest satisfactions is the reaction of the countrymen living in the United States when seeing their photographs and remembering their place of origin, to which some of them have no longer been able to return.
“I specialize in the Day of the Dead and I do this for my culture, so that it is not lost, that it moves forward, that it is not forgotten and I like to see how the countrymen react to my photographs, which bring back memories of when they were in Mexico of places that I have visited and they can’t leave, I like that people see it, that they are part of my photographs,” he said.
Gus Mejia He explained that, with his work, he seeks to remember the Day of the Dead in the United States and places like Arizona or California are states where he can exhibit his photographs.
“It is important that it be remembered in the United States, that is my job, to bring it here and not forget it, that those of us who are here continue celebrating it and that the tradition is not lost,” he added.
Gus Mejía’s exhibition is mounted in the Old Adobe Missionalso known as the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, one of the first Catholic churches in Arizona.
Inside the rooms, you can see beautiful photographs of catrinas and catrines that represent in the flesh the celebration of the Day of the Dead, an ancient Mexican tradition.
