Join us in setting a day of the dead altar in celebration of those who have passed away. We would like to honour our relatives, our ancestors, those we have lost to COVID-19, to overdoses, Black and Indigenous folks we lost to police brutality and imperialism, missing and murdered Indigenous women, Black and brown trans women, victims of femicide in Latin America, refugee migrants who have died in the hands of border enforcement, people that we have lost across the world to colonialism, genocide, and armed conflict.
This celebration will center Black, Indigenous, and people of colour of all backgrounds.
Paola Quiros-Cruz will be guiding us in decorating our own candles, Marcelo Ponce will share their knowledge to make frames for the altar. We will have paper and pens (and sanitizing spray) to make art. Bring your ofrendas, pictures, flowers, food, medicine, and anything else that you would like to honour your people with. While somber sounding, day of the dead is traditionally meant to be celebratory; people may bring song, dance, and stories. We recognize that mourning looks different across cultures and individual people.
On day of the dead our loved ones souls visit us over 2 or even more days. Many people across Abya Yala, colonially known as Latin America gather for similar celebrations with their loved ones on cemeteries and homes around an altar.
The ceremony has been practiced by Indigenous communities for centuries. What we popularly know as day of the dead today is a result of colonization. Across the South, spanish colonizers imposed catholic practices onto Indigenous and African ceremonies and spiritual practises.
This event is organized by people of mixed ancestry (mestizxs) who occupy a space of privilege in latin america. We will be celebrating in a way that honours our indigenous ancestors through practices that have remained in our own communities and families. We invite everyone participating to bring practices from your communities as well. The altar will not be adorned with Christian imagery or symbols. We acknowledge that these carry heavy traumas for Indigenous folk in North America. We also acknowledge that many of us in the South who are Indigenous, Black and mixed have practised spiritual syncretism by knowing or by passed traditions from our ancestors, so if you are connected to these symbols, and want to bring them to the altar, please feel free to do so.
