Dia de los Muertos in Austin
The dead, dressed in their finest, their hair adorned with real marigolds, led a cheerful procession down 6th Street and Congress Avenue this evening, celebrating Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday for remembering and honoring friends and family who have died. Its two main symbols are skeletons and marigolds.
The holiday crossed the border into Texas years ago, and 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of the Dia de los Muertos Procession and Celebration in Austin, sponsored by the Mexic-Arte Museum. Austin is always looking for another reason to wear costumes and throw a party, and why not?
Before the parade began, we enjoyed a mini-street-festival set up behind the museum. People dressed to the nines and wearing disconcerting skeleton face paint strolled among paper-mache skeletons, tamale vendors, a craft-a-skeleton-mask booth, and a stage on which a Tejano band played. Despite all the skeletons, the effect wasn’t spooky but family friendly and dignified.
Day of the Dead isn’t a celebration of the macabre, like Halloween, though it can seem that way to the uninitiated.
The holiday comes from a tradition of the Aztecs and other ancient peoples, which was blended with the Catholic observance of All Souls’ Day in Mexico. Household altars to departed loved ones may contain photos, offerings of bread and treats, small tokens belonging to the dead, and even humorous poems about them.
It is believed that on this day, the dead can cross over to the living and hear their prayers.
At the festival we saw a large paper-mache Frida Kahlo head. She’s everywhere these days, isn’t she?
This couple graciously posed for me.
At one booth, this woman was silk screening posters for people. You picked out the design you wanted…
…she scraped a thin layer of paint across the screen…
…and voila! A cool Dia de los Muertos souvenir.
When it was time, we walked to the corner of 6th and Congress and stood in a crowd of skeletons and other watchers.
At last the paraders appeared! A troop of Thriller zombies led the way, and I’d love to show them to you but every image was blurred due to the dim light and my unpreparedness for the sight of them shambling down the street. I don’t know if they were quite in the spirit of Day of the Dead, but they were fun to see.
These Spanish dancers were smiling and lovely in blue flounces and ruffles.
I liked this woman’s tattered and ghostly parasol.
And just look at this cute skeleton Chihuahua.
More dancers in white
A big-headed clown might have frightened some children but for the smiling face of the man inside the costume. Look closely at the clown’s mouth.
Near the end a small float rolled by, from which a woman dangled paper skeletons made of plastic milk jugs next to a coffin inscribed RIP.
But this woman in the crowd, also pictured at the top of this post, mesmerized me more than anyone in the parade. Her blue eyes were piercing and direct as she locked her gaze on my camera across the busy sidewalk.
Happy Dia de los Muertos!
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Happy Dia de los Muertos Pam. I have never heard of such a day. It looks like fun. I agree that the woman in the yellow marigolds is beautiful even painted up as the walking dead.
I had never heard of this holiday before moving to Austin, Lisa, even though I’d seen skeleton figurines in Santa Fe on many a visit (and just didn’t understand the reason for it). It’s a beautiful holiday, both decoratively and for the meaning behind it all. —Pam
Thanks for sharing such a unique experience. The celebration was a wonderful opportunity for some great photos. You are right about the blue-eyed woman. She was an arresting figure.
Jan
Always Growing
I was captivated by her, Jan. Whoever she is, I’m grateful that she gave me her calm attention for those moments while I took her photo. —Pam
I’ve heard of Dia de los Muertos, but we don’t get much info on it here in the DC region. I really enjoyed this post and your photos and the opportunity to learn more. I agree with you on the photo of the woman with the blue eyes – it’s captivating. Thanks for the opportunity to learn a bit more about another culture.
My pleasure, Kim. It wouldn’t surprise me if this holiday were more widely celebrated in another 15 or 20 years. The U.S. has a history of incorporating other cultures’ traditions. I would just hate to see this one go all commercial like the rest. —Pam
That looked like great fun. In an example of multi-culturism gone haywire, I got my wife a set of hand-made, tin Dia de los Muertos Christmas tree ornaments. They are some of her favorites. Thanks for the parade!
Dia de los Muertos decorations do lend themselves to year-round decorating schemes. There are several stores in Austin that sell skeleton figurines, tin ornaments, and other Dia de los Muertos-appropriate decor, and those who love Santa Fe style display them year-round. It doesn’t surprise me one bit to hear that there are Christmas ornaments too, only that you have them in Charleston, South Carolina! —Pam
My favorite is the skeleton Chihuahua. Great photos of the parade–thanks for sharing them.
You’re welcome, Susan. —Pam
We celebrate this holiday too in Sweden in two different ways. One way is to remember the one you love who had died, go in to a church and pray and put candles on the graveyards.
The other way is to dress out like ghosts and have a party. Some people think that it is bad to have these celebrations at the same time. Maybe they have a point there.
Ken
That’s interesting, Ken. It sounds like a combination of our Halloween and All Souls’ Day. Maybe you’ll have pictures of some skeletons too? —Pam
A new insight to a celebration. You’ve caught the “spirit” of the day!
Cameron
Thanks, Cameron. It was a spirited celebration. —Pam
I could live in a community that partied like Austin! What creative folk! I agree with Susan the skeleton dog is cute. But the photos of The Woman In Purple Scarf…are fantastic! Gail
You would love it here, Gail. If you think this is good dress-up fun, you should see Eeyore’s Birthday Party and any Saturday when UT is playing—ha! —Pam
The sentiment behind the day is wonderful. The artistry of those taking part is even more so.
I think so too, HM. Thanks for commenting. —Pam
The woman in the photo is very captivating. It’s as if she knows something no one else does. Great shot!
Thanks, Randy. I’m glad you liked it too. —Pam
We watched the parade closer to the beginning near 6th and Comal. (We had to run off after to watch a football game that will not be mentioned.) One group had a pet goat with a skeleton costume, who stopped parading after a few blocks. And if you look closely at the small float above (with the coffin RIP), you’ll see that the skeletons are actually made of plastic gallon milk jugs, not paper. Very cool way to recycle.
My kids would have loved to have seen the skeleton goat. Thanks for letting me know about the milk-jug skeletons. I see it now, and I corrected my post. Wasn’t it a fun evening, and did you go in costume? —Pam
Oh, Pam, I’m so glad you are bringing this imagery to folks far and wide! You did it beautifully! I can’t recall the exact statistic, but Hispanics are becoming a much much larger percentage of our population and we are incredibly enriched for it. Dia de los Muertos is one such tradition, honoring the departed, which we do privately, but not in this festive way that integrates life and death. Bravo! And thanks!
Hi, Kathryn. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I’ve wanted to see the Dia de los Muertos parade for years, and this year I finally got my act together and saw it. And I’m so glad I did. If you want more about local Day of the Dead traditions, particularly regarding food, read this article by our own Lucinda Hutson, whose festive garden we were lucky enough to see after the Spring Fling last April. —Pam
Great photos, Pam! That looks like a really great street festival. My favorite costume is the pink one with the parasol. It reminds me of a painting by Diego Rivera that shows the people from his life (including Freda Kahloe) with a skeleton in the middle of the crowd in a park. Of course, my daughter liked the shot of the costumed Chihuahua best. (She’s Chihuahua-crazy.)
That little dog is mighty cute. I’m sure there’ll be a Chihuahua craze among kids this year due to the film that came out. —Pam
What a colorful post-Love the little dog. You know we have lived in Austin 14 years and have never been to the parade. Must remedy that next year.
That’s how long we’ve been in Austin, and this was my first parade, so don’t feel bad. We moved here in April of 1994. How about you? —Pam
Wow that was a fun visit(-: Thanks for sharing the pictures(-: The dog costume was so cute it fit perfectly!!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Cindee. —Pam
Pam, the woman in the purple scarf is totally mesmerizing. I keep coming back to look deep into her eyes. It is like I know her. She is the beautiful loving embrace of Mother Death. Did you get her name by chance? Don’t lose that image. I am so tempted to ask you for a copy of it to print and frame.
Good job on the dry stack stone wall. Everybody got flat angular rocks but me.
Mother Death—yes, that is a good name for her. I am mesmerized by her eyes too. No, I didn’t speak to her. I think that would have broken the spell. —Pam
Great post, Pam -we’ve bought some art cards and small decorative items with this theme at places like Tesoros, have heard and read about this feast and seen the video of Lucinda Hutson’s celebration on the KUT YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h-TGmgUwyg but haven’t been to the parade.
What a haunting photo – of a beautiful face! This may sound like an odd question, but are you sure it was a woman? What I see in the photo doesn’t show me enough to make that judgment but it was probably more evident to you who was there in person.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I’m glad you linked to Lucinda’s video. It’s very moving to see her altar and hear each of her guests remember their loved ones. Regarding the woman with blue eyes, I hadn’t questioned whether she was female. But looking again and remembering her, I am fairly certain. She was not tall, and she looked womanly. The face is harder to tell, thanks to the makeup, but it looks feminine to me. Still, I see what you mean. —Pam
Love your post about Dia de los Muertos. Your photos are … well, haunting… I didn’t know there was a parade and I’ll be sure to put it on my calendar for next year. For our first celebration tonight, I made my grandmother’s soup recipe and Mom and Dad came to eat and I made an altar with photos of the family members and animals who are no longer with us. Thanks for bringing some of our special regional culture to our garden blogging community.
How nice that you celebrated Dia de los Muertos at home, Diana. It sounds like a lovely tribute. —Pam
Living in Austin certainly provides you with many opportunities for unique and memorable experiences! I’m putting the Dia parade on my list of events I want to attend. Your photographs of the mystery woman are indeed haunting images and capture the spirit of the day beautifully.
I’m surprised Houston doesn’t have a Dia parade or other festivities too, Cindy. Of course you do have the International Festival in the spring, which is fun. —Pam
Pam, you certainly captured the “spirit” of the day! Lovely pictures–I especially loved the lady with the piercing blue eyes and the clown. I never would have noticed the man’s smiling face in the mask if you hadn’t pointed it out.
Wasn’t he cute, smiling away in there? Thanks for your comment, Jenny. —Pam
Wow, love that blue eyed woman. Thanks so much Pam for posting all this. Missing you.
Hey, Mary Ann! It’s good to hear from you again. I’ve been thinking of you often since pics from the GWA conference circulated on the blogs, and I saw your smiling face again. Hope you’re doing well. —Pam
The color has pretty much gone out of our landscape, which made the costumes seem especially bright. The woman with the blue eyes could be a National Geographic cover.
Wow, thanks, Kathy. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the festival. Most people were clad somberly in black and white, but there were definitely spots of bright color too. —Pam
Now this is something different! I really feel like I’ve been there after seeing these photos and now I have another reason to want to visit Austin. Is it always held on Nov. 1?
I think it’s always held the day after Halloween, JGH, but best to check before making travel plans. Late October through mid-November is a great time to visit Austin. Temps are usually comfortably warm but no longer hot, and there’s a lot going on in town. Mid-March through early May is also very nice. —Pam
Great reporting and photos Pam. I’m going to have to go with Annie on the haunting figure with the mystic blue eyes. It’s a man. Look at the throat, not a pretty neck, a man neck.
Maybe so, maybe not. That throat was painted to look more skeletal. The lines you see are not natural. —Pam
Hi Pam, thanks for taking us along to this wonderful festival. Our hispanic population in the town where I live is growing dramatically and we saw a couple of decorations in Mexican restaurants, I have a little card that is advertising Corona with skeletons wearing fancy dresses. ;-> Your photo of the man/woman is the Mona Lisa. It would look great in Christopher’s cozy cabin, or anywhere!
Frances
Maybe you’ll have a parade to go to next year, Frances. Thanks for your comment. —Pam
The lady with the yellow hair and hypnotizing eyes needs to be on the cover of a magazine. What a wonderful picture!
Muchas gracias, Aries. —Pam
We were just a block away from you! We took the kids down and sat on the Driskill Hotel porch to have ice cream sundaes while we waited for the parade, then stood right out in front of the hotel for the parade. It was really fun- I don’t think either of the kids said one word during the entire parade.
You were close. We could see the Driskill from where we were standing. Having ice cream while you waited was a stroke of genius. —Pam
Great shots Pam!!!!
Thanks, DJ-RJ. I’m glad you stopped by. —Pam
Hi Pam, Until very recently I’d thought that the Day of the Dead was celebrated only in Mexico. Wow, what striking photos! Thank you for showing such a unique festival.
My pleasure, Kanak. In addition to Dia de los Muertos, Cinco de Mayo is also celebrated in Austin. —Pam
How fun! A woman in my lab has her birthday on 1 November – and she always throws a Day of the Dead party – this year it’s on the 8th though, so this weekend. It sounds like Austin puts on quite a show for this day! Thanks for sharing these images with us.
My pleasure, Pam. A Day of the Dead party seems ironic on one’s Birth Day, but she obviously has a sense of humor. —Pam
I’m trying to find a Dia de los Muertos dress for Halloween and really want to do it right. Any idea where to start for the dress? I’m not having much luck trying to find any resources in Austin online. Help?
Gee, Hollie, I didn’t dress up last year, just took pictures. But I would think a matronly dress, hat, and gloves from Goodwill would do the trick. —Pam
I just wanted to tell you, that I randomly searched dia de los muertos today to show a coworker a video of thriller, and came across your site. I scrolled down and found the photo of the chihuahua. His name was Elton. We didnt get to do the 2009 festivities, because something happened, and he had to be put to sleep in June 2009. It was really nice to see him portrayed on your website having a fun time. I only had him a little over a year, and he was around 5 years old.
He was a great dog, and he is always missed.
Thank you for taking a great photo, and bringing a smile to my face.
Elton! I’m so glad to learn his name. He was a cute dog. Thanks for commenting about him, Kylie. —Pam
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful experience. I am an elementary school Spanish teacher and I was just not sure how to express the class that Dia de los Muertos is a fun day not scary…I can now show your site in all of my classes and they can see for themselves.
Gracias!
I’m glad to know that my pictures will help you explain something to your class! Thanks for letting me know, and happy Dia de los Muertos. —Pam