My Day in Olvera Street, Downtown L.A.

Dia de los Muertos is a wonderful Mexican holiday. There is no better place to see the traditional sights and sounds than historic Olvera Street in Downtown L.A. Olvera Street is the oldest street in downtown Los Angeles, named after Augstin Olvera in 1877.

Calle Olvera has been preparing for Dia de los Muertos for the last couple of weeks (maybe to go along side with Halloween, although the locals will remind you that it is not like Halloween at all!) with decorations, flowers, and a procession that travels down the street nightly.

The most visible aspect of this day are the calaverdas, or skulls. They take every form you can think of from sugar skulls to ceramics to paper masks. The idea is to make death less frightening and more welcoming. Dia de los Muertos is a festival of remembrance of loved ones, the enjoyment of life and the reminder that life and death are not as separate as we think they are. Skeletons are usually depicted enjoying everyday life, such as eating drinking and celebrating. A favorite (especially for my wife and myself) is the popular marriage scene.

There is plenty to eat and drink, and the environment is always fun. While in Downtown, especially in late October and November, make sure to stop by one afternoon to witness the Dia de los Muertos celebrations! Parking is only $8.00 across the street, and Olvera is located close to 101 Freeway. I recommend bringing cash for the local merchants, and make sure to buy yourself a sugar skull or two!

Olvera Street continues to be a center for not only Mexican heritage, but Hispanics from all over Latin America. This is the best place to experience Dia in Southern California! Many local celebrations occur in front of the Old Plaza Church.

Here, children from the local schools color their calaverda masks and enjoy hitting a skeleton pinata!

Happy Halloween and Dia de los Muertos! Have a safe holiday this weekend!

Exclusive Sneak Peek! DIA DE LOS MUERTOS!

The entrance to a mysterious Spanish mission on the old California
coast. The season grows colder and the anicent celebration begins...
"Dia de los Muertos"!

Historia de Dia de los Muertos Parte 1 (1492 A.D.)

"Life is a dream"

During the Spanish Conquest of Meso-America, Spanish Conquistadors were astonished by a ritual performed by native Aztecs, in what is modern day Mexico, that seemed to mock death. They had been practicing this ritual for almost 3,000 years. Skulls were predominate in this ritual that lasted over a month beginning in August.

The ritual was celebrated during the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli, and it was believed that the Lady of the Dead or Mictecacihuatl presided over the ritual. Skulls were kept as trophies by the Aztecs and other Meso-American cultures. They also symbolized death and rebirth. The skulls were used to honor the dead, and during their ritual Aztecs believed that the dead would visit the living again.

In this time of conquest, the cultural differences between the old and new world were experienced.

The Spaniards believed that death was the end of life, while the indigenous people saw it as a continuation of life. According to Carlos Miller of The Arizona Republic, the native's culture did not fear death, " they embraced it. To them, life was a dream and only in death did they become truly awake".

Similarly to the assimilation of the Celtic ritual of Samhain, the indigenous ritual of the dead was moved to the Catholic celebration of All Saints Day and All Soul's Day on November 1st & 2nd in an attempt to make it more Christian.

Special thanks to Tomascaste at Wikimedia Commons for the great images of Dia de los Muertos, a candidate for Picture of the Year 2007.

References:

Miller, Carlos (2009) Day of the Dead history. The Arizona Republic. Arizona Central, Arizona's Home Page. Retrieved on September 3, 2009

from: http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html

The Pacific Coast of Mexico (2009) Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Pacific Coast

of Mexico. Retrieved on September 3, 2009 from:

http://www.tomzap.com/muertos.html

Tomascastelazo (2007) Day of the Dead Images. Tomascastelazo. Wikimedia Commons.

Retrieved on September 3, 2009 from:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catrinas_2.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfeniques_5.jpg